Unending Passion
by JulieGee
Summary: Merlin and Arthur - Best friends from the start! Follow along as they go through their first time, their adolescence, their growth and their pursuit of destiny. Please see note in Chapter 1. Arthur/Merlin slash.
1. Chapter 1 Act 1

_This is a slash story. It contains sex. Lots of it. It's for adults. Please refer to the Author's Note at the end of this chapter for other warnings._

* * *

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**ACT 1**

**CHAPTER 1**

Arthur and Merlin had been friends from the age of four. They could barely remember the first time they met. Something about their meeting always bothered Arthur, but he could never put his finger on it. It didn't matter. Some connection had been made between the big blond boy and the gangly dark-haired one with the big ears. They were best friends from the start.

But this time... This time his loudmouthed friend had gone too far.

Arthur had just finished football practice. He was covered in mud and aching from a hit he never saw coming. He bent over to pick up his helmet and a teammate bumped into him from behind.

"Get a room, fags!" his friend shouted across the field. The quarterback's teammates howled with laughter including the one who had bumped into him. Merlin calling anyone else a fag was hilarious. He was majoring in drama, after all.

"Fuck off, Merlin," Arthur shouted

"Blow me!" Merlin said with a laugh as he walked off.

His teammates saw Arthur turn red and backed away. Arthur was scary when he was angry. They went back to the locker room in silence. Arthur changed out of his uniform and ran after Merlin.

He jumped his friend from behind in the field. He knew it was cowardly, but this time his friend had earned his lesson.

Arthur flipped him over, pinned his arms with his knees and... he almost couldn't do it. But those jokes he had made, the comments he had made in front of Arthur's teammates. His anger flared again. The bastard had never known when to keep his goddamn mouth shut. He drew back his fist and hit Merlin. His friend's head snapped back as he gasped. He went limp.

As Arthur looked down on Merlin through a red haze of fury, as he saw him bleeding from a split lip, he... he couldn't remember. He could never remember when red filled his vision.

He knew one thing. He had attacked his best friend from behind.

Not a proud day for Arthur.

Arthur ran.

* * *

Merlin looked like crap. He winced as he touched his lip. After Arthur hit him, after he left him in the field, after he ran, Merlin had cried. It hurt, but that wasn't the reason. He just never thought Arthur would hit him. He walked home slowly, trying to stop the bleeding. He had been beaten up a few times before. This year, actually.

Drama geeks didn't get much respect from football types. Jason was the worst. Even when everyone else tired of it, he just kept it up. Finally Miss Jensen called the police. The kind, elderly grey haired teacher refused to let the kids in her class limp into school.

She said the next time Jason attacked anyone she'd deal with the problem herself. She said it with a smile. Even Jason snickered at that. She was probably one of the sweetest people Merlin had ever met.

He glanced up and into angry eyes. Morgana had seen him walking by, bleeding as he went. She went ballistic. She actually pulled out her cell phone to look up Jason's address. Merlin hadn't planned to tell her it was Arthur, but now he had to. Morgana was protective of him. She always had been since they were kids. They had met only a few weeks after he met Arthur and they had quickly formed a little group of "best friends."

Morgana would have take taken Jason down and it wasn't even his fault this time. He told her it was Arthur and she cried with him. She helped clean his lip and put some ointment on it. It tasted awful, but Merlin didn't care. He was only thinking about one thing. Arthur had hit him.

Morgana went to talk to Arthur. At least Arthur was safe from her anger, even if Jason wouldn't have been.

* * *

Mrs. Pendragon opened the door for Morgana, a slightly irritated look on her face. The little monsters had never had any sense of personal space, or the personal space of their families. Little monsters. Arthur was big, Merlin not so much but big enough, and Morgana was, well, curvy. But "little monsters" had stuck. It was just so appropriate. Just one of them? No. Two of them? Not really. But all three? Together they were the little monsters.

"Can I talk to Arthur? It won't take a minute," Morgana said.

"Come on in. We just sat down to dinner. Would you like to join us?" All of their parents quickly figured out to make enough dinner for two extra people all the time. If the other two didn't drop by, they could always have it for lunch the next day.

"I don't think so. Not today."

Arthur was sitting at the table looking despondent. Then he saw the blood on the cuff of Morgana's shirt. His shirt, actually. They didn't borrow Morgana's clothes, but she sure borrowed theirs. Well, Merlin did like to borrow her scarfs when they were brightly coloured.

Arthur looked at her and saw it in her eyes. Merlin had told her. She had helped him. She...

"Oh, Arthur, how could you?" She was shaking her head, close to tears.

Arthur stood up and walked over to her. Even after what he had done to their best friend, she was there to comfort...

Morgana's knee shot up and slammed into his groin. "Whuff," was all he could get out before he fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

Mrs. Pendragon had already sat down at the dinner table again. Her fork was halfway to her mouth. She had a shocked look on her face. She sat the fork down, stood and walked over to Morgana. She was a nurse. She knew what sort of damage that could do, but she was certain the girl hadn't used her full strength. If she had, Arthur would have been lifted off the floor. She was a very strong young woman which was one of the reasons she was head cheerleader. An ice pack or two and Arthur would be fine.

"Morgana, you'd better have a very good reason for doing that."

Both of the women had a definite edge. Morgana had probably picked it up from her over the years.

Morgana looked at Arthur's mother. She could see that a comment and a laugh weren't going to cut it this time. She pulled out her phone and showed her best friend's mother the video. Her friend Lilly had taken the video while she was recording something for her science class. It was amazing the young men hadn't spotted her. She was the only person Morgana knew with a day-glo pink phone. She emailed the video to Morgana.

The video was really shaky but it showed Merlin walking home, taking a shortcut through the field behind their house. Arthur runs up behind him, throws him to the ground, flips him, pins him and smashes him in the face with his fist. Really hard. Then, a few seconds later, Arthur gets up and runs.

Mrs. Pendragon went pale when she saw the punch. She knew the damage that kind of punch could do as well, and her son didn't pull this one. Arthur was the high school quarterback. He attacked Merlin from behind. The slight boy hadn't stood a chance. She looked like she was seriously considering giving her own son a kick where it counted.

Now she knew the bandage she had put on her son's hand this afternoon hadn't been a football injury after all. She shook her head as she thought of what Merlin must look like.

* * *

Arthur couldn't ignore it anymore. He had attacked... Oh God, he had punched Merlin. When he was finally able to move again... able to breathe again... could limp to the kitchen to get a fresh ice pack by himself, he had done what he should have done a long time ago.

Arthur opened his closet door, pushed aside the panel on the ceiling and took out the box. The locked box. The box filled with all the syringes and vials of "liquid victory." All the stuff that had let him run the field that second faster, jump that inch higher, hit with those few extra pounds of force. The stuff that had made him burn behind the eyes and forget everything when he did. Liquid victory. More like liquid absolution. He wrapped the box in a garbage bag and threw it in the trash.

Morgana had known. She had known what he struggled with. All the baggage his father had left him with before the man had packed up his own and left his family behind. Arthur had seen him last year, driving his Porsche with some inflate-a-date on his arm. One not much older than his son. He had waved and his father had run the light. He actually drove through a red so he wouldn't have to look at his own son. So he wouldn't have to be reminded of the life he had left behind without a second thought.

If that wasn't bad enough, every day he went to football practice he was reminded of it. His uniform, in great big Varsity font, said PENDRAGON 02. His father had been PENDRAGON 01. He had been so good they had retired his number twenty years ago. He had been that good.

He tried to avoid Morgana when he went to school the next day but he bumped into her anyway. As he looked at her across the cafeteria all the other sounds faded into the distance. He looked her in the eyes and glanced at the trash. He nodded. A smile crossed her face. She knew what he meant. She knew his nightmare was over.

It wasn't the only thing over. He'd never be as good at football as his father had been but he'd be a better person. Where his father had failed so miserably, he would succeed.

* * *

Morgana had planned to delete the video once she showed it to Mrs. Pendragon. She wasn't sure why she didn't. Something had just bothered her about it. When she got home from school she looked at it carefully on her monitor instead of the tiny screen on her phone. She leaned closer to the screen.

She tried to remember the software that had come with her computer. She actually read the manual. She zoomed in on one part of the video, stabilized the image, sharpened it... and gasped.

Sometimes life threw you a hell of a curve ball. She remembered some video she had once seen on The History Channel. There was this thing called a Rubik's cube. She remembered people playing with it. Sometimes it looked completely scrambled. And then a guy would turn it a few times.

Click - Click - Click.

Solved.

She looked at her computer. Zoom - Stabilize - Sharpen.

She held up the mouse, studying it in amazement.

Click - Click - Click.

Solved.

* * *

Arthur looked across the field. The same field as yesterday. Merlin was walking towards him. He took comfort from the fact that his friend's lip looked a lot less puffy, but it would take a while to heal. He had sworn that nothing like it would EVER happen again.

"Hi, Merlin," he said sheepishly.

"Hey, Arthur. I guess I shouldn't be surprised you left school early today," Merlin snickered. Morgana had still looked scary. Arthur just rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, Merlin?" He was still upset with his friend. Those comments he made yesterday afternoon had been really embarrassing. He'd still be really irritated, but the sight of his friend's damaged lip did a lot to quell his anger.

"Just wondering if you'd like to come over. My parents went away for the weekend. Oh yeah, they forgot to lock the liquor cabinet." Both of them smiled. They always had fun when that happened. "Morgana's coming over, too. Don't worry, she isn't angry anymore," he said with a smirk.

Arthur knew Morgana had forgiven him already. The three of them had talked about it together on their mobile phones. He had still been giving her a wide berth at the time and the phone seemed the safest way to do that. She had actually apologized. She NEVER apologized.

"I'm sorry I broke your balls, Arthur."

All three of them had laughed at that, although Arthur a little less than the others.

* * *

They had played the "Star Trek" drinking game. It was Merlin's favourite and in the end the result would be the same. They'd all be rolling around laughing their asses off, buzzed as bees. The hangover was never pleasant but getting there was a lot of fun!

"Captain Picard surrenders the Enterprise - take three drinks." "The StarDrive section comes under attack - take two drinks." It didn't take them long to figure out their geeky scientist friend had chosen those episodes for that precise reason. Lots of drinks!

Scientist wasn't far from the truth. Merlin dressed in black so all everyone thought about was the drama thing, but he had made some battery last year that won him the state high school science award. Some pretty important people had used words like "revolutionary" and "patent," but no one knew any more than that. Most high school students didn't care about that sort of thing. Arthur didn't much, either.

He thought about Merlin's room. All the little starships scattered about were a warning. They were hidden among the socks and half-eaten cookies. Arthur shuddered. Merlin's bedroom always looked like a rat's nest, and not a clean rat either

A peaceful quiet had descended as they sat listening to soft music, pleasantly tipsy. Morgana turned off the stereo.

"So, when are you boys going to talk about what happened?" she asked.

Both Merlin and Arthur looked at her, confused. "Talk about what happened...?" Merlin asked. They had already said everything they ever wanted to about the attack. Water under the bridge, and all.

"Not that," she said, and then hiccuped. Drinking was clearly having an effect on her as well.

"What the hell are you going on about?" asked Arthur. He couldn't remember...

Rage always played with his memory. The whole football thing two years ago. It was close, but they found him "not guilty" because it was "self-defense." That hadn't changed the fact that the kid from the other school had been in a wheelchair for months while the pin in his leg healed. He saw the video in court. It was only then that he remembered anything beyond the red.

He remembered hitting Merlin. He was certain about that. The next thing he remembered was running as fast as he could, needing to get away from what he had done.

Merlin looked equally puzzled. His vision had gone grey after the punch. The world had reeled. He couldn't remember anything, either.

Morgana tapped her phone and showed her friends what both had forgotten.

"You wanna explain THAT, Arthur?"

The colour drained from Arthur's face.

He was...

kissing Merlin.

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**A/N:**

**If you're not concerned about warnings and squicks, you can skip this note**.** This story is written for adults. Please don't read it if you're not an adult.**

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**This warning applies to the whole story. **

**This story also contains violence from time to time. Our heroes may be injured badly, but of course love conquers all. :) **

**This story contains squicks**. Physical, emotional, sexual and more. Squicks everywhere. I'm not going to list all of them. It would spoil the story. Trust me, it really would!

And so...

**If you're sensitive to things you don't like, or if it will upset you to read something that makes you uncomfortable, you might not want to read this story.**

If you decide to read it, and I really hope you will, I think you'll like it. I really appreciate reviews, too. Please leave reviews, but try to avoid spoilers when you do!

Cheers!

JulieGee


	2. Chapter 2

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 2**

The kiss.

Arthur remembered. Merlin had looked up at him, barely conscious. His lip was bleeding. Arthur had seen Merlin bleeding. Arthur had seen what he had done. He had rested his forehead against Merlin's cheek as he broke down. His tears mixed with the blood on Merlin's face.

Then he kissed him. He had seen Merlin wince as their lips made contact. Felt the cut his fist had made. Tasted the blood. Then he jumped up and ran. Ran as fast as he could, wiping the blood off his mouth, his vision blurred by the tears. And there it was. The video, looping over and over.

The kiss.

"Fuck off, Morgana. You don't know what you're talking about," Merlin said, as he tried to focus on the screen. They were buzzed, but not drunk. What he saw... he was sure that hadn't happened! Morgana had finally figured out how to use the software her computer came with. She was screwing with them. It was actually kind of funny. She had edited the video. Made it look like they had... Then he looked at Arthur.

Arthur was staring at him, white as a sheet, trembling. The quarterback opened his mouth to say something, but only managed a choking sound. He looked like he was going to run again. The strongest, fastest, hottest guy in school looked like he was going to run for the second time in as many days. From him.

Morgana put her phone back in her pocket. "I think you guys have some things to talk about."

"Don't leave!" both young men cried in unison with a look of panic on their faces.

Morgana yawned. "I'm sleepy and I'm tired of doing the thinking for you. You talk and you let me know when you figure it out." She wandered out the door, looking both ways before deciding which direction her house was in.

"She can be such a bitch," both said in unison again. They laughed, forgetting what they had to think about. They almost knew each other's thoughts. At least Merlin had thought they did.

Looking at Arthur brought him out of his reverie. His friend's head had drooped. He was supporting it with a hand on his forehead, elbow resting on his thigh. He looked like he was going to be sick and they hadn't had nearly enough to drink for that.

What the hell? That kiss... Merlin hadn't kissed his girlfriends like that. This wasn't about "let's get off together." This was something else.

His best friend since he was four. His best friend, angered beyond memory, violent and, in the emotion of the moment, as he was hanging broken in Arthur's arms, his friend had surrendered to passion. Arthur had kissed him.

Not kiss-kiss you're cute kissing. He could remember Arthur's tongue probing his mouth. He remembered the taste of blood and the taste of Arthur mingled together. He remembered the need, the longing Arthur had kissed him with. And then he ran.

Merlin had no idea how to handle this, but he was sure of one thing. He never wanted Arthur to run from him again.

"How long?" he asked as he reached over and put his hand on his friend's head.

"Don't. Please don't," Arthur whispered as he jerked away from the touch.

"Arthur, that isn't you wanting to "do" me. Well, I guess it is," he joked, trying to lighten the situation, failing miserably. "Arthur, that's... that's..."

"FUCKED UP?" Arthur shouted, the words shaking from the emotion in his voice. He looked up at Merlin like a whipped puppy. Merlin wondered how many times Arthur had looked like that through the years. How many times had HE been responsible for it? Too many to mention? All of them?

Merlin leaned against Arthur's shoulder, feeling it shake under him. Maybe a different tack.

"Y'know, we probably missed out on an awful lot of fun over the years." He could feel his pulse in his own neck, his breath shallow, excited. Arthur was beautiful. There wasn't a straight girl or a gay guy who wouldn't have jumped him in a second. Not a few of the "straight guys," either.

Merlin hadn't done this with a guy before but he leaned closer to Arthur and started touching him playfully on the chest.

"Oh, God, Merlin... Don't do this to me. Please don't do this to me."

Arthur was still trembling. More after Merlin's soft touches, not less. Then Merlin understood.

"Arthur, you haven't done this before with anyone, have you?" His friend's silence answered the question.

"Why..." And then Merlin remembered something. Pretty much everyone in school assumed Arthur was fucking around somewhere else. He probably wanted his classmates to stay out of his personal life. He was a very private person and NOBODY wanted to anger him. Bad things happened when Arthur got angry.

Merlin had assumed it, too. He didn't talk about the stuff he did with his girlfriends. Why would Arthur? Then his memory drifted back to something they had talked about when they were only fifteen. Merlin was already "experienced." Jocks were stupid. They never figured out that drama guys got laid... big time. Probably more in a month than they did in a year. Most girls found sensitive guys attractive, and so few of the jocks fit into that category. The drama guys got the spillover. Arthur didn't have to bother with games like that. Everyone wanted him.

Arthur had said he was waiting for the right person. He started to say something else but he paused and turned away. At the time Merlin and Morgana had laughed about it. No one knew why their friend was so private about that area of his life, but he didn't want to talk about it and they would never force him.

And now he knew. Arthur had been waiting for...

"Because it wasn't you. I don't want someone touching me if it's not you. And now I don't even want you doing it." The quarterback looked devastated.

"It doesn't MEAN anything to you. You've been with lots of girls, maybe guys. I never asked. The girls I could deal with, but the thought of another guy with you... touching you..." Arthur put his face in his hands and started sobbing. The sounds of his pain were unbearable.

Merlin tried to think. You didn't say those things after a summer fling. You didn't say those things when you flirted with someone after school. You only said that kind of thing when... you've loved someone for a long, long time. Maybe since you were so young you didn't even know what it meant. Maybe since you had first looked someone in the eyes.

How could he have been so blind? How could he have let his friend go through this all this time?

"You touched me before, Arthur. You touched me like this." He lifted Arthur's head, hand under his chin. Arthur looked at him. His eyes were red. He looked crushed. He looked...

Merlin leaned in and kissed him. A soft kiss at first. He could feel Arthur swallow, feel their lips touching, feel their tongues touching, tasting, starting to explore. Arthur snapped his head back, stood, and walked to the other side of the room, carefully keeping his back to Merlin. He had embarrassed himself enough for one day without adding THAT to the list!

"Merlin, please don't. I'm not an experiment. Some guy to blow, try it out, see if you like it. Someone you want to forget about, to wish you never had to call back."

"I already know I'd like it. I'd like it because it's you. Don't push me away, Arthur. Not now."

He stood and put his hands on Arthur's shoulders, turned him so he could see his face. He stepped close to his friend, felt his heat, smelled his sweat, sensed his fear. And then...

"Well, part of you wants to experiment."

Arthur rolled his eyes. After years, it was his automatic response to something annoying his friend had said. He rolled his eyes a lot. "Yeah, it kinda has a mind of its own."

Part of Arthur wanted to experiment. Another part of him longed for so much more. Maybe after all these years... He tried to smile, but Merlin wasn't smiling anymore.

Arthur face fell. For the first time in their lives he couldn't read Merlin's eyes. He thought, "Oh, please no, it's over. He's sobered up and now I'm alone again and I'll always be alone and it's over and..."

Merlin leaned forward, crushed their lips together, ran his fingers through Arthur's hair. Pulled him closer. Slipped his leg between his. Rubbed against him. Rubbed...

Merlin was hard. Merlin was hard for him.

"My parents are away this weekend," Merlin said, his voice husky, not needing to explain anything more.

"Merlin, I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe this is happening with you." Arthur looked like he was about to bolt again.

Merlin grabbed his hand and held it, tugging lightly. "My room... now."

Arthur let go of his hand and... Why was Merlin looking at him like that? Why was he smiling? Shaking his head? What was so funny about...

Then he realized what he was doing. He was tiding up the room. He had always been a bit of a neat freak.

"NOW!"

* * *

A/N:

I'd love to know what you think of the story so far.

I'll post more chapters as I finish editing them. I'll try to post at least one or two per week.

Please review to let me know what you think. The damn thing's eaten up hundreds of hours of my time! I'd like to know if it's worth it. :)

Cheers!


	3. Chapter 3

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 3**

Arthur followed as Merlin led him up the stairs to his room. The one with the "Merlin" license plate on it. Arthur's mother had bought it for him when she was in England attending a nurse's conference when they were eight years old. She knew he'd love it and he had. Merlin wasn't a common enough name. None of the racks of balloons, signs, mugs, none of them ever had his name on them.

For some reason Arthur had mentioned the license plate last year, and his mother had told him. She had it made specially for him. Merlin being a more common name in England was just a clever excuse. All those memories came flooding back and they hadn't even opened the door yet. Every inch of that room had a story, and now it would have one more.

Merlin opened the door and led him toward the bed as he started to undress. He stopped, glanced back at Arthur, and smiled. When Arthur thought of it in the future, that was the spot in Merlin's room he would remember. That was the inch.

The same inch the 9-Volt battery had fallen on when Arthur threw it out of his hand nine years ago. "It tastes good. Try it." Merlin was so smart. Arthur never stood a chance.

Merlin had taken off his shirt and was starting on his belt when he turned back. He swallowed softly. Arthur was naked. Arthur was beautiful.

"Wow! That was fast! Guess you're looking forward to this, huh?" Merlin joked.

Arthur wasn't laughing. He was watching Merlin take off his clothes. The quarterback looked like he was waiting for the unveiling of a Rembrandt. He sat down on the bed, shaking slightly. It was new. It was so new, but so far it was wonderful and they hadn't even touched yet.

Merlin tossed his Superman underwear... somewhere. He lay down beside him and... Merlin... Merlin was on top of him. He kissed Arthur lightly, then deeper, then deeper still. Arthur clutched at his back, trying to pull him closer. Trying to share the same space. Trying to be everywhere he was. His arms slid around Merlin's chest. His legs wrapped around his back.

Arthur would have been happy to try other stuff first. Foreplay looked like fun in the videos. If fact he would have been happy to cuddle all night long, but Merlin had done all that before. He wanted this to be new for Merlin, too. He wanted Merlin to experience the newness with him.

His friend stopped moving. No! Why? What had he done wrong? He must be doing it wrong!

"I'm sorry, I can't... this just isn't right," Merlin whispered.

It felt like a knife had stabbed him through the heart. "No, I'M sorry. I should never have let this happen. I should... I'm so sorry, Merlin."

Merlin had touched him. Someone had finally touched him. He had pushed away all human contact after his father left. He hadn't hugged his mother in years. He didn't even have a pet to cuddle. He was fucking allergic! Well, he did have a fish. He only tried to cuddle with it once. Neither of them had enjoyed it very much.

The only contact he had felt since he was thirteen years old was some other football player tackling him. Pain. All he had felt in years. Every time he had been touched. Pain. Brutal, physical pain. And somehow, this was so much worse. He reached for his jeans.

All those years, all those dreams, all the longing and the awful loneliness. Oh God, the loneliness. The times he had spent in his room looking at the photos of them together. Wondering if... thinking maybe, just maybe, but none of it was going to change. None of it would ever change. He would be alone forever. He would...

Merlin was looking at him like the time when Arthur had asked him if infinity was a lot.

"YOU SILLY JOCK!"

He rolled over and pulled Arthur on top of him. Shifted position. Wrapped his legs around Arthur. Shifted so Arthur could...

"Better?" his friend asked with a wink.

What was happening? Why had Merlin said no and then... Arthur finally got it. Merlin wasn't pushing him away. He wanted Arthur to...

"Better!" he agreed. Merlin wanted him that way. Some things Arthur would learn later. For now he was happy being an alpha male in all ways. He scrambled around, trying to find his wallet. He kept one in there just in case Merlin...

"Looking for these?" Merlin smiled wickedly as he tossed him a condom. He was already opening up a packet of lube. "Just make sure you put it on the right way. I'll worry about the gooey stuff. I need to read the packet. This is my first time, too," he reminded Arthur.

His first time. It was, wasn't it? Merlin was as new to this as he was. It made him felt less nervous about the whole thing.

Arthur sat up and looked at the wrapper carefully. Oh, yeah. He remembered his health ed classes. Right way, wrong way. His hands were shaking as he tried to open the wrapper. Why wouldn't it open, dammit!

Merlin touched his hand lightly. Arthur looked at his friend. Merlin eyes were sparkling. He was amused!

"I don't think you get this whole sex thing yet, Arthur. It's not one of your stupid 'Look at me I'm running in circles on the back field really fast not going anywhere' jock races.

Don't rush, Arthur. I'm going to be here ten minutes from now, y'know. Maybe even an hour," Merlin said with a reassuring smile.

Arthur looked at him shyly. "I'm sorry I ran from you before, Merlin. I've waited so long. Thank you for this. Thank you for doing this with me."

Merlin's face changed. He looked stunned. Arthur was always amazed at how quickly Merlin's face could change. Maybe it was the drama thing.

"Arthur, do you think this is some kind of charity fuck?"

"Well, I just thought... I mean you've had those girlfriends, and..."

"Arthur, I take drama! If you don't tick 'gay or bi' on the application, they don't let you in the program. It's not like I haven't thought about doing this with you. It's just, well I thought the application for quarterback only had one box to tick, and I wouldn't ever fit into it. I just tried not to think about it again."

"Merlin, you just didn't show any interest in me. It's pretty hard to believe you felt the same way I did."

"I didn't. Not until you hit me."

"You picked an interesting time to figure it out. I should have hit you years ago!" Arthur still didn't look convinced.

"You want proof? Check that video again. It helped me remember, too. It's what you didn't see. My hand was blocked in the shot. My arm comes up. It looks like I'm trying to defend myself. You couldn't see my hand running through your hair, pulling you closer. Pulling you closer like I never want to let you go. I didn't want to then and I don't want to now.

Merlin shook his head in amazement. "I still can't believe you want me. You could have anyone and you only wanted me. I'm going to be here for as long as you want. For as long as you need. Forever, even."

Arthur relaxed again. "Promise?" he asked, as he finally got the wrapper open and put the condom on.

"Promise!"

Arthur looked at him. He could stay like this forever, just looking at Merlin. Just watching him breath, watching him move, watching him...

"WELL? I said I'd wait forever. I didn't say I WANTED to!"

Arthur laughed and moved towards him. Merlin looked down. "Wha... Just how big are you?"

Merlin had known Arthur for a lifetime but it wasn't the sort of question you asked another guy. He had seen Arthur swimming before, but as he thought about it he realized he hadn't let himself think about it.

"Not too big, I hope," Arthur replied, blushing.

"Well, let's just see how things go. You could help me a bit, if you want to." Merlin reached out and took his hand. He spread some of the lube on Arthur's fingers, and some inside himself.

"Just, well, start with one, OK? I think we should do this slowly." Merlin looked down again. "We probably shouldn't... well, just keep adding fingers," Merlin laughed.

Arthur slid a finger inside him. Merlin sighed with pleasure. Two was a lot of fun. Three, not so much, but at least he was a lot more relaxed down there.

"Ok, I think that's good. At least, I hope so." He reached for Arthur's leather belt and nibbled it experimentally.

Arthur looked confused. Then a look of understanding crossed his face.

It wasn't a game anymore. It wasn't playful. Merlin was going to use his belt to bite down on if... Arthur's blood pounded in his ears, he could feel it in his neck. He did NOT want to cuddle.

Merlin looked at him and nodded. Arthur moved forward.

"Now just... yeah, like that. Ouch! NO, DON'T STOP! THAT'S A GOOD OUCH! Just a bit slower so I can..."

Merlin gasped. His eyes shot open. Arthur looked at him in alarm. Had he hurt him? Had he hurt him already?

"That... that's like nothing I ever felt before. I didn't even know... UNGH!" he said as Arthur carefully pushed in deeper.

Arthur watched Merlin in amazement as his friend's mouth worked to say something. Anything. He smiled with delight. He'd been doing this for less than a minute and he finally found a way to get Merlin to shut up. He pulled back and slid in slowly again.

Merlin clutched at Arthur's muscular arms. They would change with time. Arthur's body would change now that the stuff was leaving his system, but it was a good thing.

Merlin was gasping for breath. Arthur moved his hands into his dark hair, propping up his head. He wanted to look into Merlin's eyes. He wanted to see how he was making his friend feel.

Friend? Lover? That was too much to hope for, at least for now. He thrust into Merlin, deeper this time.

Merlin moaned as his fingers raked down Arthur's back. Arthur could feel his perfectly manicured nails digging into his flesh. His friend was surprisingly fastidious when it came to personal hygiene, considering he chose to live in what could only be called a disaster area. Stop it! Priorities!

The feeling, the tightness, the warmth inside his friend. It all felt wonderful, but seeing Merlin like that... being in control... being able to make his eyes widen like that... make him gasp like that... make him arch his back like that. He pulled back slowly and thrust again. As he watched Merlin writhing, he gained confidence. He was pretty sure he was doing it right. Either that or Merlin was having a stroke.

"Oh God! Oh God! Don't stop, Arthur. Just don't... UNGH! God! AHHH! Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh... MMMMPH!"

Arthur smiled again. Jocks were good at some things. He knew how to play ball. He knew how to repeat the successful plays. He knew how to... Well, based on Merlin's reaction it sure looked like he knew how to do this!

"AAAAHHHHH! AAAAHHHHH! MMPH! Ar... Arthur..." he gasped. "You wanted this to be special? Just understand this. UNGH! I've never felt anything as good as... MMPH! what you're doing to me right now. I... UNGH! I can't talk when you're... Oh, God Arthur!"

Arthur looked at him tenderly. "It's OK. Don't even try."

He slid inside his friend over and over. Merlin was still struggling for control. He could see it in his eyes. Arthur knew one thing was going to happen before the evening was over. Merlin was going to lose control big time! He thrust deeper and harder and faster and all those things the people in the porn videos always did. Usually it was a girl screaming in pleasure, but...

"OHMYGOD... OHMYGOD... UNGGGGGGGGH!"

Arthur started to moan. Everything felt so good. Everything felt so right. He could feel himself getting close. He tried to think of something else. Football, maybe? No, that was exciting, too. Math. That oughta do it. It seemed to be working.

He grabbed Merlin's arms and pulled him up as he lay back until his friend was sitting on him. Merlin shuddered. Arthur lifted Merlin so he could thrust. He was so light. Almost fragile.

As he thrust again, Merlin screamed. Really screamed!

Arthur was sure he had hurt him until he saw a thin line of liquid running out of Merlin's shaft. He hadn't just hit that spot he had heard about, it looked like he had crushed it. He thought Merlin had cum, but the pressure must have... Merlin hadn't cum yet. He would fix that!

"MMPH! I never knew... I didn't know it could be like... UNGGGGH!"

Arthur started to thrust the way it felt best. It had all been about what Merlin wanted until now. Now it was about what he wanted, too.

Merlin was shuddering in his arms. Sweat was running down his chest, dripping onto Arthur's abs. "OH DON'T STOP DON'T STOP! MORE!"

More. That just didn't feel right. Not at all. It was like when he wrapped his legs around Merlin. When he thought Merlin had wanted to fuck him. And somehow, he knew what Merlin wanted, even if his friend hadn't figured it out yet. It felt like they'd had sex many, many times before, and Arthur remembered what to do without asking.

A lot of things were confusing, but he knew one thing without question.

Merlin did NOT give him orders! It worked the other way around.

"NO!" he shouted. "YOU DON'T DECIDE WHEN IT'S MORE! I DECIDE WHEN IT'S MORE!"

He pushed Merlin back on the bed. Flipped him over. Forced his legs apart. Entered him fast. Thrust in deep. He pushed his hands against Merlin's shoulders. Now his friend couldn't move even if he struggled.

Merlin was going to take it. He'd damn well take it. He was going to take it NOW!

Merlin's hands gripped the headboard. His knuckles turned white as Arthur pounded into him.

"OH GOD, ARTHUR!"

Merlin clearly hadn't expected THIS! Sex with his girlfriends hadn't prepared him for THIS!

Arthur took control... demanded... commanded... like he did in football. Like quarterbacks are born to do. Like he had done some other time. He couldn't remember. It didn't matter.

Merlin was looking back at him wide eyed, but not with fear. Arthur watched him closely for any signal to stop. He would have instantly, but he knew Merlin wanted this, too.

"Please... Sire," he cried.

Their eyes opened wide. Not 'sir' like the movies with the leather in them. Sire. How could that feel so right? Oh yeah. Priorities.

He started to slam into Merlin every second or so. Arthur had never been happier he was big. It hadn't mattered before, but pulling out and watching him start to tighten. Ramming in and stretching him over and over.

"OH GOD, ARTHUR! FUCK! UNGGGGH!"

Then, in the heat of the moment, Merlin's hand reached around and grabbed his ass. He stopped Arthur from thrusting. Why the hell was he doing that? It looked like he had been enjoying it, but...

"Please, Arthur. Kiss me?" Merlin gasped

Arthur flipped him over and spread his legs. He lifted them onto his shoulders. His arms made a cage surrounding him, hands resting on the top of Merlin's head, arms hard against his ears. He entered him again as he kissed him softly.

Oh, that was nice! He had forgotten about kissing. He'd never forget again.

Merlin shuddered as he looked deep into his eyes. "I hope you know it's not just now. Not just because of the sex. I just didn't realize until now, but I've always known. I love you, Arthur."

Arthur felt him tighten around him. Merlin cried out as he came.

Arthur looked down between them. He wanted to watch. Merlin's range was impressive. Too impressive. Arthur got some in his eyes.

"DAMN!" he yelled. That stung! No one had told him about that! He blinked for a few seconds until he could see again. Merlin was looking at him in extreme pleasure. No, happiness. Uh oh, irritation. What had he done wrong?

"I TELL YOU I LOVE YOU AND YOU SAY 'DAMN?'"

Both of them started to laugh. Of course it wasn't like the videos. Of course there was no book to follow. Of course it wouldn't work out as planned. This was them, after all. This was Merlin.

He looked his friend in the eyes and said, "I love you." It was a pledge.

Arthur started thrusting again, harder this time.

"AAAAHHHHH! AAAAHHHHH! AAAAHHHHH! AAAAHHHHH! Oh God, Arthur. It's too intense. I think I'm supposed to rest a bit after I cum. Before you start again. I think I..."

Arthur looked at him with fire in his eyes. "Are you in pain?"

"No, it's not really pain, it's just so intense."

Arthur reached over, handed Merlin his belt, and said the thing he knew his friend wanted to hear.

"Then shut the fuck up and pray I cum fast."

Merlin looked at him in shock. He bit down on the belt. As Arthur kept thrusting over and over, he could hear the cries Merlin was making through his clenched teeth. He could see how his eyes rolled back. He could feel Merlin clawing at his back as his friend bucked up against him, trying to take him even deeper.

Merlin was completely out of control this time. Merlin was beyond words. Merlin was beyond thought. Merlin had lost it big time.

Arthur wanted it to go on forever, but his friend started writhing. Not even math was helping anymore. Arthur couldn't take it any longer. He shot deep inside Merlin as he pushed in hard and stayed there. Merlin gasped. The belt fell out of his mouth as he came again.

Arthur rolled off him and collapsed in a heap. A very happy heap. Merlin reached over and pulled off the condom. He sucked... WOW!... that's what it felt like. He finally knew. Merlin sucked the last drops out of him as Arthur clutched the sheets, moaning.

Merlin finished and lay down beside him, sweat covering his gleaming body. He turned his head and looked at Arthur in amazement.

"When you said that you decide. When you didn't give me a choice. That was so hot. That was so fucking hot," Merlin whispered.

Arthur smirked, completely confident now. "Care to try for two?" he asked as he held up a second condom.

"Just a bit of a break. Please. I SAID PLEASE! Then..."

Merlin looked at him and smiled that beautiful smile Arthur loved so much.

THIS was going to be fun!

* * *

**A/N**: I'd love to see some reviews of this sex scene. I've just started experimenting with rougher, more graphic scenes and I'm curious if you liked it. I did NOT want to write about cuddling! ;P


	4. Chapter 4

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 4**

The two young men were lying on the bed together sleeping, a blanket resting over Arthur, Merlin curled up against him. Arthur's mother stood in the doorway of Merlin's bedroom. She held a watering can in her hand. Merlin's mother had asked her to water the houseplants while they were away. She thought that had meant Merlin was going with them. But now...

Her mind frantically reached for an explanation. "Maybe they're just..."

Then she saw the condom wrappers. Four of them, all torn open, sprinkled about the room like some kind of very odd, very happy ritual had taken place.

She wasn't naive. She knew you didn't have sex, leave the wrappers all over the room and then invite a different person to share your bed without tiding up a bit first. But it was Merlin... No. Not even HE was that messy. Well... she couldn't help noticing the Superman underwear hanging from the ceiling fan as she left the room.

She walked softly out of the house and went home. She made herself a cup of Darjeeling tea with steady hands. She had never been a nervous person.

She sat down at the kitchen table and sipped it slowly as she thought about her son and his best friend curled up together.

She smiled.

THIS was going to be fun!

* * *

Morgana walked in a few minutes later, ready to go swimming with her friends as planned. Mrs. Pendragon was sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in her hand and a smile on her face.

"Hi, Mrs. Pendragon," Morgana said. She paused. Why Arthur's mother was looking at her that way?

"How long?" the blond woman asked, as if no other clarification were necessary. She tilted her head towards Merlin's house, a knowing look on her face.

"How long? What..." Morgana gasped in shock. "I told them to TALK ABOUT IT!"

"My dear, they did a lot more than talking. Four condoms. At least that was how many wrappers I saw lying around. There may have been more," she said, tapping her finger on her lower lip as she tried to recall. Condoms didn't bother her. The lack of them would have. She was a nurse, after all. She was feeling very relaxed now. A lot of things she hadn't understood about her son were fitting into place.

"MEN! They probably 'talked' for two minutes and then..." Morgana remembered who she was speaking with and blushed.

"First time?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Mrs. Pendragon, I don't ask them about their personal lives..." Arthur's mother rolled her eyes. Morgana almost laughed. She looked so much like her son when she did that.

"Morgana, you've made it your business to know everything about their personal lives for the past decade. Longer. Remember who you're talking to," she said conspiratorially.

Morgana sighed. "Well, Merlin did have those girlfriends. Arthur didn't. I think he was waiting..." She stopped, looking at the shock on the older woman's face.

"I meant the first time for them. I just assumed Arthur had..."

There was a "bang" as the screen door slammed shut.

"Hi Mom! Hi Morgana!" Arthur walked into the kitchen with a spring in his step and a big grin on his face. His hair was mussed up and it looked like he was wearing his belt inside out.

His belt... Were those TEETH MARKS? There were a lot of them! In fact, it looked like a chunk of leather had been torn out in one spot. Arthur was whistling some merry tune she had never heard before. Wait, she hadn't even known her son could whistle. She hadn't seen him like this since he became a teenager. It was all the confirmation she needed.

The women tried to hide their smiles. Arthur's whistling slowed, getting softer as he stopped bouncing around the kitchen. He looked at the two women closely.

"Uh oh," he thought. This couldn't be good!

"So, wha'dya do last night?" his mother asked. "Or who?"

Arthur's jaw dropped open. Actually dropped. One minute his lips were together, the next they were almost as far apart as they could get.

"MOM!" he gasped as he flushed crimson.

"First time, hmm? How was it?" Mrs. Pendragon asked. Morgana started to laugh. Arthur looked like he was actually going to die from embarrassment.

He could tell he was making choking sounds, even though his brain had pretty much been fried by the question. And then... OH, NO NO NO NO NO!

Merlin walked in and sat down at the table like he owned the place. Like he always did. He looked equally disheveled although that wasn't much of a change from his regular appearance. Arthur's mother turned her attention towards him.

"So, did you treat him nice, or just kick him out of the bed when you finished having your beastly way with him?" she asked, blinking innocently. Morgana shook like she was having a seizure.

"Oh, pretty nice," said Merlin, looking like the cat who ate the canary. "I didn't toss him out of the bed. I thought about it, though. He's such a cover hog. And he's strong, too. You try fighting him for a blanket!"

"Gaaaaaahhhh!" said Arthur. "Gaaaaaahhhh!"

He ran out of the kitchen, hands over his ears, crying "LA LA LA LA LA... can't hear you can't hear you!"

The three laughed openly. Merlin clearly had a bit more experience in this area. He didn't seem phased in the slightest. "Maybe I'll go see how he's doing."

Morgana raised an eyebrow. "Maybe I'LL go see how he's doing," she said. "Something makes me think we won't see the two of you for hours if you find a room with a bed in it."

"Who said anything about a bed?" he asked with a smirk. He squirmed in the seat and winced, taking a sharp breath through his teeth. "Ouch. He's feisty!"

"OK," laughed Mrs. Pendragon. "You win. That's WAY MORE than I need to know! Oh, and by the way, both of you... My name's Ygraine."

They all smiled at the new familiarity. Then they laughed. Arthur was going to freak!

* * *

Arthur came down, ready to go swimming in their pool. They used to have lots of money when his Dad still gave a damn about any of them. He couldn't take the pool with him, though. That was one of the few luxuries left in their lives, but it was a fun one.

He took off his shirt and tossed it on the lawn. Arthur always wore a Speedo. He was one of the few people who could pull it off. Way too many people wore them and couldn't. As he turned around to dive in, he heard a gasp behind him. He turned back, wondering what the problem was.

Merlin looked embarrassed. Arthur couldn't remember the last time he had seen his friend embarrassed. He was shaking his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes closed, bright red.

His mother was looking at Merlin with shock. "I know you said he was feisty, but REALLY!"

Morgana was howling with laughter. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pointed at Arthur, unable to say anything.

What? Had his swimsuit split, or something? He looked behind him, trying to see what was so funny. More laughter. Oh, great! He looked like a dog chasing its tail, going round and round in circles.

"Oh God, Arthur!" Merlin gasped, laughing uncontrollably, still bright red.

Morgana finally got her voice back. "And how many times did you scream THAT last night, Merlin?" She pulled out her phone and took a picture of Arthur. Front first. She had desires, too. Why should Merlin have all the fun? But the back side! She told him to turn around as she snapped a picture.

She tapped her phone, zooming in before showing it to him.

Arthur's eyes widened as his jaw dropped. It was doing that a lot today.

His back was covered in scratches. Not little ones, either. Deep ones. Really deep ones. Some of them looked like they might still be bleeding a bit. His back looked like it had been clawed by some wild animal. Well, it kinda had been. Merlin was looking at his perfect nails as if wondering whether he should trim them shorter.

Arthur's mother threw her hands up in the air. "If you boys are going to keep behaving like that, well, I'm glad I'm a nurse!"

She handed Merlin a tube of some kind of cream. "Twice a day, and lay off the rough stuff for a while."

"I think I'm already glad you're a nurse, Ygraine," Merlin replied.

Arthur freaked. For so many reasons.

After his mind had regained control of his body which had been running around waving it's arms, much to the delight of the others, he took a deep breath.

Arthur knew he was lucky. He had a lover who had been his friend forever. He had a best friend who'd cut off her left arm to help their relationship succeed. And how could anyone have a more supportive mother? Pure evil, but supportive.

They'd talk about it more later. For now, swimming and a tan.


	5. Chapter 5

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 5**

The three friends were sitting around the pool, the warm sun and the cooling breeze both welcome on their skin. Arthur was still wearing his Speedo. Now he was covered in suntan oil. His hard-earned muscles were gleaming in the sunlight. They weren't gym muscles. They were muscles formed from crashing into others. Driving his team. Winning. Merlin could barely stop himself from jumping him.

Much to Morgana's amusement, Merlin's tan was starting to look one-sided. There was no way he could flip over and tan his front half. Part of him was making his excitement clear. It had been that way for an hour. It was actually starting to ache a bit. Thankfully Morgana focused on something else.

"What are you guys doing tonight?" Morgana asked. Something had been bothering her again. Something about Arthur.

"Uh, well, I guess I thought..." Arthur stuttered as he blushed.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "I hope you don't think that's the way it's gonna work. I may be easy, but I'm still a softy at heart. 'Get drunk and fuck' is not acceptable all the time. Often, but not always. How 'bout a little romance?" he asked with a wink.

Arthur wasn't expecting that. Now Merlin had gone and complicated things. He really shouldn't have been surprised. His friend had mastered the ability to annoy him years ago.

Romance?

"Sure, um, how about a baseball game? Or maybe a movie? I think the new Transformers flick is playing at the theatre down the street. That would be romantic, right?"

Morgana and Merlin shook their heads as they looked at each other in amazement. They'd been doing it for years, but Arthur...

"Arthur, you've never been on a date, have you?" Merlin asked. He knew damn well Arthur hadn't. Arthur had waited for him. His affection for his new lover temporarily overcame his lust. He could finally flip over.

Morgana clapped her hands with glee. "Ohhhhhh! This is going to be so much fun! Arthur, you're going on a proper date with Merlin tomorrow evening. You will NOT be going to a baseball game. You will NOT be watching 'Robots with no Plot' on the big screen. You will be going on a date and I'm going to help you get ready for it."

Arthur was horrified. He'd seen this happen before. The results were never pretty. Morgana had a new pet project and this time it was HIM.

"Merlin! Little help over here?" Arthur hissed. Maybe his friend could stop her. Maybe it wasn't too late for Merlin to change his mind and save him.

"I think it should be somewhere you have to wear a tie to get in the door," Merlin said thoughtfully with a glint in his eye.

Arthur narrowed his eyes as he glared at Merlin. He promised himself his lover was going to pay for that later. Maybe the belt could be put to other uses. 'Good ouches' would NOT be involved!

Morgana motioned for Ygraine to join them. She walked across the lawn, watering can in hand, looking relaxed in the warm sunlight.

"Did you know your son has never been on a date before? He's going on a date with Merlin tomorrow and I'M going to help him get ready for it!" Morgana said.

Arthur sighed. He knew if was too late for anything to save him. Morgana had stated her goal. She wouldn't stop until she reached it. Her pride was now at stake and it vastly exceeded her mercy.

Ygraine's eyes shot open. "NEVER? Wow, big week for Arthur! All sorts of new stuff," she laughed. "Oh, I know, how about a restaurant with a dress code? Jacket and tie?"

Arthur's teeth ground together. Wonderful, just wonderful. Merlin's "tie" suggestion had been irritating enough. Now they had added a jacket. Well, he looked hot in that, and he was pretty sure it was something Merlin would like to see him in.

"FINE! I have to get my jacket cleaned first. I got mud on the PENDRAGON when I dropped it in the back field. Thank God I saved up and got the leather jacket instead of the melton one. There's no way it'd still look good enough to wear to a restaurant otherwise. At least my tie is clean."

All of them were looking at him with their mouths wide open.

"Maybe it should be next weekend instead of tomorrow night?" Merlin asked with a look of concern on his face.

Arthur's football jacket would NOT get him in the door at a fancy restaurant, and Merlin knew damn well the only tie his friend owned was a 'Mickey Mouse' one. Arthur was one of those bizarre "Disney" freaks, in spite of the fact that everyone knew 'Star Trek' was the only acceptable object of worship.

Morgana was shocked as well. Football jacket? Arthur thought his football jacket... She looked at Arthur's mother and shook her head in disapproval.

"This is YOUR work," she said as she gestured at Arthur. "Proud?"

Ygraine did not look proud.

* * *

"Morgana, I just don't know about this. You're sure it looks OK? It doesn't look very fun and it's uncomfortable, too."

"'Fun' is not our goal today, Arthur. You can wear Mickey some other time. Our goal today is 'sophisticated' and you clearly don't have any idea what that is, you clueless wonder. Think about Merlin when he goes to the symphony. He doesn't wear his 'James T. Kirk' tie, does he?"

Morgana wasn't helping much. She was trying to explain fashion to him, but using the symphony as an example? It was one of those things Arthur could never understand. Merlin went to the symphony from time to time. He liked classical music. His ipod was full of "definitive recordings," whatever the hell that meant. Arthur didn't mind when Merlin played classical music in the background, but putting on a jacket and tie to listen to it live? And doing it by choice? Sometimes his friend was just plain weird!

He looked at himself in the full-length mirror again. Morgana was resting her hand on his shoulder, ready to drag him back by the scruff of the neck if he tried to bolt.

Hmm. All things considered Arthur thought he looked pretty good! The navy-coloured jacket with the light herringbone pattern sure looked sophisticated, and the matching pants seemed to cling to his body, accenting every curve. The curves Merlin couldn't take his eyes off.

Morgana looked at him. She wasn't sure she was a fashion genius before. She sure thought so now! She hadn't mentioned it, but showing off his ass had been her goal. Everything worked according to plan, except one thing. Arthur nearly assaulted the poor salesman when he asked him which way he parted. It took her several minutes to convince her friend that it was a legitimate question and not a pick-up line.

The next evening she hid in a parked car across the street from Merlin's house. Ygraine had joined her in her clandestine stake-out. Arthur rang the doorbell carrying a dozen red roses. Merlin's eyes nearly fell out of his head when he opened the door and saw Arthur in his new outfit. The women almost lost it.

Merlin clearly didn't care about the flowers. He was too focused on Arthur. He liked sophisticated a lot! He was looking at Arthur like it was all he could do not to tear the new clothes off him. Morgana congratulated herself. She made sure she took a video of the scene. No one would have believed her otherwise.

The women were decades apart in age but their giggles were very similar.

* * *

Merlin and Arthur sat at a candlelit table in "Heron's Field," the classiest restaurant Arthur would probably ever feel comfortable in. In other words, it would never host the President, but Morgana had assured him it was still romantic. Not like the McDonald's Arthur had first suggested. Ygraine was about to club her son. Lucky for him, he said he knew Merlin liked the fries there. Ygraine, Merlin and Morgana were relieved. Arthur wanted to make Merlin happy. Clearly he wasn't a lost cause after all. He was beyond clueless, but his heart was in the right place.

At first they had suggested a restaurant called "360" but Arthur actually went pale. Not only was the restaurant extremely fancy and therefore intimidating enough, it revolved to give a complete view of the city every hour. The ground was thirty stories below. Arthur had never been crazy about heights and all the seats were window seats. Floor to ceiling glass was the only thing between the patron and flight. The glass was stronger than a cinderblock wall but it didn't matter. Arthur certainly wouldn't be focusing on Merlin and wasn't that their goal? They settled on Heron's Field.

Heron's Field was much less luxurious but it was still the kind of place that wouldn't shoo you out after twenty minutes at the manager's discretion. They were going to spend a nice, leisurely evening together.

Their table was in a secluded corner of the restaurant. It was a small table in a nook surrounded by walls of dark rich oak. The little corner almost seemed to absorb the light, creating their own little world. Both of them had been laughing for an hour. They were underage but Arthur ordered a bottle of wine and the waiter actually brought it to them. Bonus for picking a place most high school students wouldn't be caught dead in!

The candlelight twinkled in Merlin's eyes as Arthur watched him from across the table. He could look into those eyes for hours. It was still hard to believe that Merlin was looking back and thinking the same thing.

Arthur ran his leg along Merlin's under the table as they sipped their espresso. He was pretty sure the horribly bitter substance was sophisticated, too. Merlin jumped at the unexpected contact, but then smiled and relaxed again. They had spent a wonderful evening together. Arthur reached across the table and took Merlin's hand.

"I'm a very lucky man, Merlin, and I'm never going to forget it." Then he sat back with an expectant look on his face.

"So, did I pass? Can we have sex again?"

Merlin tried hard not to laugh. Clueless, indeed!

"Oh, so close. And yes, we can have sex again." He had told Morgana that unless Arthur stomped on his foot and refused to apologize the sex thing would be happening, but it was fun watching his new boyfriend sweat.

Arthur let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. He smiled, leaned over and kissed Merlin lightly on the lips.

Neither saw the young man watching them from across the room.

* * *

Arthur Pendragon... Arthur Pendragon, quarterback... Arthur Pendragon, the guy Jason had been showering with for years was a QUEER? Drama Queen Merlin was hardly a surprise, but Arthur? WHAT THE HELL?

Jason had never been so angry. Arthur had it all. Any of those cheerleader sluts would jump at the chance to fuck him and he was in a restaurant, holding hands, kissing... MERLIN?

Jason had found some new people to hate.


	6. Chapter 6

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 6**

Football practice had been annoying. It had kept him from Merlin for three hours. At least he had looked good while he was playing. Merlin had been watching from the stands. He liked the idea of his new lover seeing him in his element, doing what he did best. It looked like Merlin was excited.

Ah! Now he understood. Arthur WAS in his element, and he was ordering the other players around. Merlin liked it when Arthur ordered him around. Chances were he was getting off on a whole bunch of jocks doing what Arthur told them to. That little insight could be very useful! Now that he had figured it out, he was almost sorry the three hours were over.

* * *

Everyone headed back to the locker room. They only had a few minutes to shower and change before the school closed for the day. Jason waited until everyone had finished showering. He walked into the middle of the change room. This was going to be soooo sweet!

He threw a stack of photos at his teammates. They landed all over the floor. His teammates picked them up, eyes widening as they looked at them. They were all the same.

Two men sat at a candlelit table. Their legs were touching. They were holding hands. One was leaning towards the other. Arthur was kissing Merlin. He had leaned over and... It wasn't Merlin kissing him. Not that that would have excused it, but... Arthur was kissing Merlin.

"He's GAY!" Jason yelled as if that explained everything, as if it was the most damning thing a person could be.

His teammates looked at Arthur. The colour had drained from the quarterback's face.

"Look at him! HE'S NOT EVEN DENYING IT!" Jason yelled again. "What are you waiting for? He's been showering with you all season. Longer! This queer has been watching you for years! KICK HIM THE HELL OUT!"

Jason wasn't stupid. There was another benefit to this whole thing. He was next in line for quarterback. Those cheerleader whores would finally pay attention to him.

Andrew walked forward, tightening the towel around his waist as he looked at Arthur with unconcealed disgust. His eyes narrowed and he paused for a second before continuing.

"Look Jason, I'm gonna be honest. I'm REALLY NOT HAPPY about this whole 'Gay Arthur' thing, and I think your 'kicking out' idea is a pretty good one."

Jason smiled in triumph.

"But I think YOU'RE going to be the one we kick out. I was going to have a little 'chat' with you after we left, but seeing how kind you were to Arthur I think I'll deal with you now. You wanna tell me what happened with Jane? Mark's sister Jane? You wanna tell me what happened, YOU FUCKER!" Andrew shouted.

Bible Study Andrew swore! No one had ever heard him swear before. They didn't even think he knew how.

Alex was looking at Jason, hands clenched, barely in control. Bible Study Andrew looked like he was about to kill. 'Furious Andrew' trumped 'Gay Arthur' any day. Anyone in the locker room who wasn't paying attention before sure was now. They liked Jane. She'd been watching them play football every practice for years, rain or shine. She was Mark's sister, too.

Jason went pale. That bitch. He had told her. He had warned her and she...

"I think YOU should leave, Jason. I think you should leave NOW! We'll figure out a way to get through the rest of the season without you. Somehow I don't think it'll be too hard. OH, AND DON'T COME BACK!"

Jason shook his head. It had all gone wrong. They picked the queer over him! He stormed out the door, leaving his uniform behind. He knew he wouldn't be needing it anymore.

"AND YOU, PENDRAGON..." Andrew paused and closed his eyes, silently counting to ten as everyone waited. He knew should be a lot less upset with Arthur than he was.

Arthur hadn't touched Jane. That was Jason and he had gone. "Gay" was just EXTREMELY disturbing. Arthur hadn't hurt anyone. Arthur hadn't touched anyone. He'd deal with Arthur like a reasonable person. Bible Study Andrew was good at that. He continued in a much quieter voice.

"How... When... MERLIN?" he asked as he waved the photo in the air.

Arthur felt like he wanted to crawl under a rock and die, but he would damn well explain it to them. He only wanted to do this once. He took a deep breath.

"Merlin and I have been best friends our whole lives. I've... I've always liked him. A lot." He swallowed as he realized what he was about to say.

"I love him, and now we're together and that isn't going to change. I don't expect you to like it, but that's the way it is. Oh, by the way, if any of you touch him I WILL BREAK YOU!"

It wasn't just the volume of the shout. Everyone always jumped when Arthur yelled.

Then they saw him smile.

His teammates relaxed as they looked at each other in amazement. It was a day full of surprises and this was the biggest one yet. It didn't matter if they couldn't stand queers. Everyone decided they liked this Arthur much more.

John whispered into the silence, finally asking the question everyone had always been afraid to. "You did... didn't you? You never went out with anyone. You never... you waited for years... for him, didn't you?"

Almost everyone was watching Arthur as he blushed. Then they knew. It wasn't a quick lay. It wasn't a phase. It was love.

John's jaw was working. His neck was twitching. He fanned himself quickly with his hand, but to no avail.

"That's the most romantic thing I ever heard!" he whispered as the tears started to flow.

John's girlfriend once joked about what a softy he was deep down. She said he cried harder at chick flicks than she did, but no one had believed it until now.

Two people hadn't been looking at Arthur. They were looking at each other. Toby and Luke would move to England and marry three years later. Toby hadn't believed that kind of relationship could work until he saw it working for the quarterback and his lover.

* * *

The next day, Arthur and Merlin walked down the hall leading to the cafeteria, Arthur's arm around his waist, his arm across Arthur's shoulders. Some of their classmates looked at him with admiration, some with envy. He was with Arthur after all. Whatever their opinion everyone knew they were more than boyfriends. They were lovers.

It was hard for some of the teachers to handle. Miss Jensen's mouth turned into a slash as they walked by. She was clearly troubled. Well, she was 62 and pretty set in her ways. The most exciting thing in her life was probably her collection of cats.

For the first time in his life Merlin felt safe. Really safe. A few of his classmates looked at them with revulsion. Merlin knew some of the jocks would beat the crap out of him without a second's hesitation, but he was with Arthur now and Arthur would clobber anyone who tried. Arthur was his lover, his protector, his knight in shining armour, his...

An explosion went off behind them. Arthur jerked forward. A second explosion followed and he fell to his knees gasping for air as a pool of red started spreading across the floor. He collapsed at Merlin's feet. Merlin turned toward the source of the deafening sound behind them.

Jason was holding a gun. A big one. A red light shone from the top of it. The red dot crept slowly up Arthur's back until it rested at the base of his skull. Jason smirked as his finger tightened on the trigger.

Merlin screamed and threw himself over his lover, shielding him from the attack. A third shot rang out. It tore through Merlin's collarbone, right where Arthur's head had been a second before. Blood gushed from his shoulder and mixed with Arthur's on the tile. A fourth shot missed them. Jason adjusted his aim.

Merlin blinked as the red light shone directly in his eye.

* * *

**A/N: **

I would love to see some more reviews. They're one of the reasons I enjoy writing so much. _Please don't include any spoilers in your review._

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed it so far.

JulieGee


	7. Chapter 7

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 7**

Just before Jason pulled the trigger, the gun flew out of his hand. He crashed into the lockers, dazed. He staggered from a strike to the head, doubled over from a hit to the stomach and then collapsed to the ground on his back. He screamed as the heel of a sensible shoe broke the bones in his hand. It all happened in three seconds.

Miss Jensen... grey haired Miss Jensen... cat collecting Miss Jensen was one of those rare masters of two martial arts. Students had seen her practicing Tai Chi in the park, but this. No one knew this. A few days later when they saw the video from the high school security cameras on CNN, everyone knew. Jason hadn't stood a chance. None of them would have. THREE of them might have if they jumped her from behind, or maybe if they were wearing football gear, but only Jason? Not a chance.

Miss Jensen would always blame herself. Everyone told her she was a hero, but she would always blame herself. Her reflexes should have been faster, and she had scanned the hallway for a second attacker instead of focusing on Jason. She should have...

Jason reached into the pocket of his jacket, grabbed his second gun and shot through the fabric. It hit Miss Jensen in the foot. She fell to the ground. Her fist shot out and dented the locker door but Jason had already moved. He tore down the hallway past Merlin and Arthur. He saw the ocean of blood. He didn't need to waste another bullet on them. He reached the cafeteria, threw open the door, raised the gun, fired once, twice. The first shot missed. The second hit Andrew in the thigh. Then he targeted the head cheerleader.

A red dot slid across the side of Jason's head, shining into his eye as it did. He blinked and turned toward the source. Merlin was still protecting Arthur, his body covering his lover. Blood continued to pour from Merlin's shoulder. His collarbone had turned to shrapnel from the impact of the hollow-point bullet. The kind designed to maximize the damage. His left arm was paralyzed. He looked so pale.

Merlin. Drama Queen Merlin, held Jason's other gun in his right hand.

A look of... hatred?

Jason knew he had never hated anyone that much. He had tried. He had looked in the mirror, thought about all the groups of people who had things better off than he did. He had nurtured his hate. Cultivated it.

But the hatred he saw on Merlin's face wasn't from some concept that disgusted him, some group of people who pissed him off. This was the purest hatred Jason had ever seen. Jason might have just killed the love of his life. Jason shot him as he tried to protect his lover. Merlin hated Jason. That hate... that pure hate was... beautiful.

Then Merlin shook his head. A fresh jet of blood shot from his shoulder. All that hate disappeared, subsumed by the gravity of what he was about to do.

"It's over, Jason. I'm sorry," he whispered. No one would have heard the apology if Miss Jensen hadn't reached them by then, crawling along the hallway, trailing a thin stream of blood from her foot as she reached for the wound in Merlin's shoulder, trying to apply pressure.

Merlin pulled the trigger as a tear ran down his face. Jason's last thought before the bullet tore through his head was, "When did faggots get so brav..."

An alarm rang through the school. Three bells repeating over and over. Emergency lockdown.

The students had been frozen by the sound of the shots. They poured out of the cafeteria as they heard the alarm, scrambling for the protection of the closest classroom, shutting doors, closing blinds, hiding behind desks as they prayed the gunman had stopped shooting.

Morgana might have done the same but she glanced down the hall. Her blood ran cold. She couldn't see who was lying on the floor. She just knew. She ran towards her friends and fell to the floor beside them as she slipped in the pool of their blood.

Within seconds, only Merlin, Arthur, Miss Jensen and Morgana remained alive in the hallway.

Morgana pushed on the wounds in Arthur's chest while she screamed for help.

They heard the sound of approaching sirens in the distance.

Merlin remembered looking at Miss Jensen as his vision went dark. He had asked her, "Can you teach me how to do that kick?" Then he lost consciousness. The ambulance and the police arrived seconds later and went to work on the victims. No one stopped to help Jason. There was no point. It had been a big gun.

The police seized all the mobile phones and the cameras. "Evidence," they said. But one girl had been standing at the end of the hallway, taking a video of her friends with her mobile phone. They were doing something stupid. She couldn't remember what. She focused her day-glo pink phone on the scene and kept recording. The fourth shot grazed the side of her hand and smashed through the window behind her, but she stood her ground and kept recording.

The police saw her at the end of the hall with her phone. It was a media nightmare in the making. They ran towards her but she was faster. She hit the right buttons in the right order before they could grab it from her.

By the end of the day, there had been over a million hits on YouTube before a court order had the video removed.

* * *

Morgana sat in the hospital waiting room with her mom. Merlin and Arthur's mothers waited with her. Merlin's father had been visiting Vancouver. He wouldn't join them for several hours. Arthur's father didn't give a damn.

It had been eight hours and both young men were still in surgery. One of the surgeons dropped by a minute later, looking relieved. They had finished on Arthur. It was nearly unbelievable, but his wounds hadn't been too severe. No major arteries involved. He'd probably recover within a week or two.

Merlin...

Fourteen hours had gone by. They were still waiting. This time the surgeon looked grave. Morgana barely heard her. Something about "bone fragment" and "aorta." She didn't know if Merlin would live or not. She hadn't looked optimistic.

Then they heard an alarm go off. The solid tone that everyone dreads. They heard it again and again that first week as they waited by his side. So many tubes. So many machines. All fighting to keep him alive. Some failing from time to time, prompting a flock of people dressed in white and pale green to fly into the room. Most times they prevented the long beep from happening. Sometimes they didn't.

Once it had taken twenty minutes for the machine to stop squealing. They actually stopped working on him before a little blip gave them hope. They thought they had lost him that time. They thought they had lost the young hero.

That's what he was. Everyone had seen the video. Everyone who didn't live in a cave, at least. They saw what he had done. They saw the blood. They saw him save a lot of kids. Now it was their chance to save him, and they swore they wouldn't fail.

* * *

That week had been incredibly difficult for Merlin but at least he wasn't aware of it. Someone was living every moment with him, fearing it would be the last.

Arthur regained consciousness the day after the attack. His wounds really had been minor. As minor as two small pieces of metal flying into your back and out through your chest can be. Morgana, Ygraine and the other parents had been so concerned about both young men something hadn't occurred to them.

They were horrified to discover Arthur didn't know what happened. He had lost consciousness before he hit the floor. The only thing he remembered was walking down the school hallway, and then waking up in the hospital room.

Ygraine told him about Jason and explained what had happened to them in the hallway. Then she updated Arthur on Merlin's condition. That hadn't been the best idea.

It was hard to do it with a shattered rib, but Arthur managed to scream over and over anyway. They finally managed to tranquilize him. The doctors didn't like to do it so soon after surgery, but in this case their patient was in very real danger of tearing his stitches if he didn't stop writhing. They were just thankful he was still weak from the blood loss. The football player at full strength would have been nearly impossible to hold down.

Arthur regained consciousness again a few hours later. Ygraine was the first thing he saw. They all felt that might be helpful, but it didn't help as much as they had hoped. This time Arthur's screaming was brief. The doctors were prepared this time. They had used security bands to hold down his arms, legs and chest. It was a lot easier to tranquilize him.

The third time went much better. Ygraine managed to update him on Merlin's condition as he was regaining consciousness. It was the first thing he thought about as he woke up. It helped. Merlin wasn't nearly as bad as he had been. This time there was no screaming. Just sobbing. Ygraine wasn't sure which had been more painful to hear.

A week later, Merlin stirred. His eyes opened. He blinked. Machines beside him made beeping sounds. Air was being forced into his lungs. He tried to fight it. He tried to breath by himself. The machine got upset. An alarm went off. Nurses and doctors ran into the room. He gagged as they pulled a tube from his throat.

A few minutes went by before a different doctor walked in and smiled at him. A nurse followed. A familiar nurse.

"How do you feel, Merlin?" the doctor asked, as Arthur's mother gave him some water.

"Like... crap. Where... ARTHUR! WHERE'S ARTHUR?" he yelled as he grabbed Ygraine. She would have a bruise on her arm for days.

"Arthur's fine. You saved his life. You..." The nurse decided it was best not to tell him about Jason yet. People reacted unpredictably when they found out they had killed someone.

She had seen the video. The world had. She had seen the rage on Merlin's face, and then the sadness. She had also seen the blood pouring from Merlin's shoulder. The youth couldn't have been in his right mind at the time. Any doctor would testify to that. She left Merlin's room and ran to her son's bedside.

"Merlin's awake," Ygraine whispered. She looked exhausted but happy. Arthur tried to sit up before his body objected with waves of pain. It had been a week, and it was the longest week of Arthur's life. They helped him into a wheelchair. They had wanted him to rest in bed for several more days, but in the end there was no other option. They'd have to put security on Arthur's door to keep him inside his room. Also, if he succeeded in escaping to see Merlin he wouldn't have their assistance or the wheelchair and that would be much worse.

Arthur gasped and turned white as his mother wheeled him into Merlin's room. So many tubes. Ygraine was glad he hadn't seen Merlin the day after the attack. There were about half as many tubes now. They wheeled him to Merlin's side. Ygraine whispered in Merlin's ear and his eyes opened slowly. He glanced away from her and saw Arthur sitting beside his bed.

He saw the look on Arthur's face. The relief, the guilt. He could always read Arthur like the back of his hand. Merlin still couldn't speak but it didn't matter. They didn't have to use words. Arthur leaned over and kissed him, and it was the best thing in the whole wide world.

Arthur, Morgana and the parents weren't the only ones following Merlin's recovery.

Not by a long shot.

* * *

**A/N:**

OK, exhausted now. I had planned to publish six chapters this week, but holding off on the seventh chapter would have been too cruel.

Again, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story so far. _Please be careful not to include any spoilers in the review._ Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed the story so far.


	8. Chapter 8

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 8**

The Press had been unrelenting. The world had been unrelenting.

It was the story of the year.

"Gay teenager saves lover's life - kills shooter."

CNN played the clip over and over once the court released it a few days after the attack. Even the Christian television stations had praised Merlin's heroism and his dedication to Arthur, if not his overall ethics.

The second most popular story was pretty impressive, too.

"Elderly teacher disables shooter with Karate kick."

Miss Jensen had NOT liked being called elderly in the slightest, but there was nothing she could do about it.

The school had to cancel the morning classes when she came back to work. The students wouldn't leave the hallways until each of them shook her hand. Jason's gun had been a "Glock." The kind the police use. The kind with seventeen bullets in its magazine. He had two more magazines in a holster on his belt. Jason hated a lot of people. She helped save them as well.

She finally gave into the pressure and wrote a book. She didn't read the contract closely enough. The publisher had the right to name the title. "Grey Saviour" became a best seller, and an "Oprah" favourite. Miss Jensen planned to continue teaching until she was 65, and then retire on the royalties.

* * *

When Arthur and Merlin returned to school, things had been very different. Everyone was silent. Arthur looked fine. He hadn't been hurt as badly. He had regained most of his strength.

Merlin...

It had been two months and Merlin still looked pale. His heart had stopped again three weeks before. No one knew if it would ever be over for him.

That wasn't the reason everyone wore black with a slash of colour around their necks that day. That wasn't the reason everyone lined up to shake his hand. That wasn't the reason so many of them were crying. Jason had left a message on Facebook a few seconds before he started down the hall for the last time.

Jason hated lots of people but he hated two groups most of all. There was a reason he was in the hallway at that time. Jason had been gunning for the football team and the cheerleaders. He was heading toward the cafeteria because a rally was being held there. The students had removed all the tables to accommodate it. There was nowhere to hide.

Lots of football players. Lots of cheerleaders. Lots of targets. More than forty bullets left. If Merlin hadn't shot Jason, they'd be dead.

Merlin would never have to worry about getting beaten up again. No one would dare. Everyone loved Merlin now.

* * *

The press kept hounding them. Then Morgana had a clever idea.

"Morgana, this is stupid," Arthur whined.

"I second that!" Merlin complained.

"Listen guys, do you have a better idea? Do you want to be pursued around the city for the rest of your lives? Or at least the rest of the year? Just do it."

The young men sighed. They were tired of all the attention. They were tired of hiding in their houses and classrooms. They were tired of reporters popping up like gophers over Arthur's fence so they could take pictures of them in the pool. They tried Morgana's idea.

Merlin dyed his hair blond, and Arthur dyed his black.

The press no longer recognized them most of the time. With their quarry much more difficult to spot, they gradually lost interest. It wasn't worth sticking around if they only saw the young men a few times a month. There was another unexpected benefit.

"Merlin!" Arthur gasped.

"Arthur!" Merlin answered.

Arthur looked like he was trying not to leap on his boyfriend. They hadn't realized just how hot they'd look.

Merlin looked like a California surfer dude. All he needed was his wetsuit and Arthur would have hurled himself at him.

Arthur turned into "Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome." Merlin always had a thing for blonds, but with black hair, the intensity of the blue in Arthur's eyes was stunning.

Morgana laughed as her two friends ran to Arthur's bedroom. Ygraine and Morgana went to a movie that evening. The sounds coming from Arthur's room were deafening. They were happy sounds. They were VERY happy sounds!

They were sounds Morgana was fascinated by. Ygraine just ran out of the house with her hands over her ears, crying "LA LA LA LA LA... can't hear you can't hear you!"

Ygraine was a nurse and condoms didn't bother her. That didn't mean she wanted to hear Merlin crying her son's name again and again, punctuated by what could only be the 'crack' of a leather belt being used in creative ways!

Gradually the young men became used to each other's new appearance. Their hair colour swap was only for a year, but it was long enough.

Even when they changed it back, Merlin was difficult to recognize for another reason. He was much more muscular than he had been. Still lean, but muscular. After practicing for two hours each day he had reached his green belt in Karate and planned to continue.

Sometimes people would see Merlin and Leslie doing Tai Chi in the park together. That's what he called Miss Jensen now. They had become close friends. She was still one of his teachers but he called her by her first name in class. None of the students mentioned it to anyone. They owed them both a great deal.

Arthur was also difficult to recognize. He gradually lost some muscle mass, even though he kept playing football. No one was sure why, but he looked different enough as well. Merlin was happy. If anything, he thought his lover looked even more beautiful with a swimmer's build.

* * *

Merlin decided he wanted to show off his new Arthur.

Their photo Christmas card had the high school in stitches. Even the more conservative teachers got a kick out of it. It showed Merlin and Arthur showering in the Men's locker room. It was a portrait shot from the waist up, featuring Arthur in front with soapy water running down his defined chest. Merlin was standing behind him, shampooing his hair. Both of them were laughing. Arthur was looking at the camera, and Merlin was looking at Arthur over his shoulder.

Morgana had taken the picture, of course. She had desires, too!

There were two unfortunate things about the photo. Merlin was still wearing a bandage on his shoulder. It had been months, and it still bled from time to time. Also, the soap that led the eye down Arthur's chest drew attention to the two small scars.

The young men hadn't considered the impact of the card. They were used to the other's scars. For the rest of the school it was a reminder of what happened to them. The photo would appear on the front cover of their yearbook. It took a long time to sign everyone's book, but everyone wanted them to, the jocks included. They might not be completely comfortable around the gay couple, but they owed them and they wanted the reminder. They wanted to remember for the rest of their lives.

* * *

Arthur and Merlin had been distracted by all the media attention for nearly a year. More importantly they had been distracted by each other. There wasn't time for the pursuit of much else, new experiences among them.

Something had been bothering Morgana. Something about Arthur. Then she realized. A wicked grin crossed her face.

THIS was going to be fun!


	9. Chapter 9

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 9**

"Arthur, you've never been to a gay bar before?" Morgana asked innocently.

She didn't look innocent. Merlin didn't either. His boyfriend looked excited. "Oh, you've got to come with us, Arthur! It'll be so much fun! I haven't been dancing in ages!"

Arthur had forgotten about that. Merlin used to go to clubs with his girlfriends all the time. One summer he went every day for two months straight. Hmm. Well, he had always been curious about what it would be like. He might never be as adventurous and outgoing as Merlin, but millions of people had been to gay bars and he would damn well be one of them before the night was over.

"Sure," Arthur said.

Morgana and Merlin were shocked. The two friends weren't expecting that! They had prepared their arguments ahead of time, but they never even considered the possibility that Arthur would just say yes. Sometimes the very improbable happens.

"But... it counts as a date, and you remember what you promised?" Arthur actually blushed.

"Sure," Merlin laughed.

* * *

Arthur's first experience in a gay bar was not turning out to be a fun one.

The bar was full of the smell of smoke and beer and sweat, and the dance floor was crazy. He'd lost Merlin and Morgana already. Music was blaring from speakers above him everywhere he went. Beer cost twice as much as it did everywhere else and he didn't even want to think about the washroom. Why the hell would anyone want to...

Oh.

A really cute guy was staring at him from across the bar. The guy was looking him up and down, lingering on his belt. Well, probably not his belt. It felt really good. He knew he was attractive, but he hadn't felt it since his father left. This was nice.

He knew he was hotter than Merlin, but Merlin was so much more attractive! His personality and his smile were enough to win most people over in moments. Arthur had no problem talking to new people, but he always felt a bit awkward. Merlin was everyone's instant friend. Arthur just prayed he would never lose his blond hair and his looks.

But this guy across... wait.

The guy that just brushed past him. It was more than a brush.

And now, the guy sitting beside him at the bar started rubbing his leg up against him.

He didn't know that...

Wow.

They seemed to think he was cute.

They were...

everywhere.

* * *

Morgana and Merlin smiled from the second floor catwalk. They had known it would be like this. Merlin knew he connected with people faster than Arthur, but Arthur was so much hotter! That blond hair and that stunning face. That perfect v-shaped body, broad shoulders, narrow waist, defined pecs, cut abs. An ass that wouldn't quit. He thought of less visible parts before he shook his head and refocused.

Arthur could stop people dead with his looks, but Merlin was sure he would always have to rely on his personality. Merlin couldn't catch the eye of a whole room full of people in three seconds. Arthur could, and that's why Arthur was in trouble.

Arthur was beautiful and now he was in the middle, no, the cause of a feeding frenzy. Leaving Arthur by himself in a gay bar was the equivalent of throwing a bucket of chum into the water. Morgana started recording. They'd want this someday.

Merlin had already promised himself he'd forgive Arthur for almost anything tonight.

* * *

Merlin was NOT forgiving Arthur for this! Not tonight at least. They hadn't realized just what this evening might turn into.

Arthur was nervous. He liked all the attention at first but it got to be too much. He started drinking the beer people were buying for him to ease his nerves. All of it. Nine bottles of beer later he staggered away from the bar and into the hall, trying to escape all the eyes and hands and whatever else he was constantly being bumped with.

His friends had seen him pounding back those beers. They had tried to follow him when he shuffled into the hallway, but he had disappeared by the time they got there.

"The hall to the left was full of people. It was scary. I turned right and.. I dunno. Why was everything so dark in there?"

After they hadn't found their friend for several hours, they realized there was only one place they hadn't looked yet. They used Morgana's keychain light to search the... holy crap!

Arthur was on the floor of the dark room getting blown by... No way! Julian Saunders!

Morgana gasped and averted her eyes. After a few seconds, of course. She had desires, too. Why should Merlin have all the... Uh oh. Merlin did NOT look like he was having fun.

Merlin walked over to Arthur, grabbed him and yanked his pants up once he was standing. Julian looked like he was going to object until he saw who was standing over him. He politely excused himself. Julian was always very polite.

And now, outside in the alley, Arthur was puking his guts out. Morgana was kneeling beside him, whispering soothing things as she rubbed his back. They picked him up and had a close look at him under the lights spilling from the adjacent parking lot. Morgana was asking the questions. Merlin was far too angry.

"Arthur, what happened?"

"I dunno," he slurred. "I couldn't find you. Everyone kept touching me. There was beer. Lots of beer. Then I tried to escape but everything went dark. I dunno." He sniffed. "Then my lungs burned."

Merlin and Morgana looked at each other. What the hell was Arthur talking about?

He giggled. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm stoned, too," he said. Then he giggled again. If Merlin hadn't been so angry it would have been funny to hear the football player giggling. Morgana certainly seemed to think so. She was biting her lip, trying not to laugh. She was biting her lip hard!

"Then there were mouths, and tongues and... I dunno. Someone held something under my nose. There was a really bad smell. Then it got REALLY GOOD!"

Merlin looked at Morgana. "Poppers!" he hissed.

"I couldn't see who was touching me. I looked but I couldn't see you. I really tried! Someone, no, lots of people tried to undo my belt. Then I smelled more of the bad stuff. Then there was a light. I dunno. Then I saw Julian. He was CUTE tonight! He was wearing a stretch top and really tight jeans. His pecs, his abs, his..." Arthur got a confused look on his face. "Why does he always wear a sweater and baggy pants to school?"

Merlin was actually a bit less irritated. They didn't have to worry about Julian gossiping. They were pretty sure he wouldn't want to explain to Bible Study Andrew why he had been blowing the quarterback in the dark room at a gay bar. He'd been playing the piano for the bible study group for years.

Merlin wanted to blame Julian but he couldn't quite bring himself to. Julian was cute. He was also really shy. Guys must have been all over him, chasing him, molesting him for hours in the club. Then he saw Arthur in the dark room, sitting in a slash of light from the door. He knew Arthur. He wasn't scared of Arthur. For the first time in hours, he probably hadn't felt threatened. Of course he'd go for Arthur.

Merlin was actually thankful in a small way. Arthur and Julian had spent most of the evening together hiding in the corner of the dark room, doing... stuff. Arthur couldn't be more specific. He doubted Julian would want to be. It turned out most of the "mouths and tongues" had been Julian's.

Morgana looked closely at Arthur. She touched his hair. She ran her fingers through it and gasped as they caught. "It looks like Arthur blew Julian first."

"Not first. Often," Arthur corrected as he giggled again.

She sighed. "Talk about digging the hole deeper, Arthur. It also looks like Julian didn't pull away in time. Arthur, we really need to get your hair washed. And your face."

"Julian tasted good, but it got messy. I dunno..."

Merlin flushed bright red. He had promised himself he was going to forgive Arthur for this. He was at least partly to blame for his boyfriend's current condition. That didn't mean he couldn't express his fury first.

"It's your first time in a gay bar. You're so drunk you're puking your guts out, you're stoned, you're recovering from poppers, AND YOU HAVE CUM IN YOUR HAIR AND ON YOUR FACE FROM BLOWING ONE OF OUR CLASSMATES! Do you have ANYTHING to say for yourself?"

Merlin crossed his arms and started tapping his foot. Morgana tried not to laugh.

Then Arthur said the one thing Merlin couldn't forgive right away. The one thing no one ever wants to hear about their lover's indiscretions.

"It was FUCKIN' AWESOME! Can I do it again tomorrow?"

Merlin freaked.

* * *

Arthur looked a bit green the next morning. Well, he was alternating between sickly green and embarrassed red depending on the details Morgana was providing at the time. He looked like a Christmas ornament gone horribly awry.

"MY HAIR? It was in my HAIR?" He winced as his own shout made his hangover worse.

"And on your face. When we got you home and could see you better, it was on your shirt and jeans, too. You and Julian must have been pretty busy. Oh, and you seem to have lost your belt," Morgana said.

"It will be years before we try that again! GOT IT?" Merlin growled.

Arthur moaned as he covered his ears with his hands. Merlin was really loud this morning. It hurt.

"Got it," he whispered. "But that still counts as a date, right?"

Merlin's eyes opened wide.

"You think... YOU THINK THAT COUNTS AS A DATE? WITH WHO? JULIAN?" Merlin yelled.

Morgana actually fell out of her chair and rolled on the floor laughing. Arthur just winced.

* * *

The next day at school, Julian walked up to them, blushing profusely.

"I... I'm... I don't..."

He stopped trying to talk.

Julian sighed and gave Arthur his belt back.

* * *

**A/N:**** I'd love reviews on this chapter. My goal was pretty much comic relief after the intensity of the previous chapters. Did you like the humour? Would you like to see more? In other words, did I do good, or should I stick to sex scenes? :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 10**

Arthur loved him. Merlin's classmates loved him. The world loved him. Someone didn't, though. Someone despised Merlin. Not for who he was, but for what he was. Arthur's lover. Thankfully, the man who hated him wasn't violent. It would never even occur to him. He was just cold and cruel.

"So, tell me Arthur. How do you think it felt to find out my son was gay via CNN?"

Mr. Pendragon was livid, which meant his eyes were glittering. He spat "gay" like he really wanted to say a much less acceptable word, but he didn't. He never swore. He always looked calm. He had calculated his family out of his life when they were no longer useful to him. Nothing personal.

"Arthur, I'm going to drop the lawsuit for your trust fund. I want you to understand that this is in exchange for never having to see you again. And if you do see me in public you will leave immediately. That's for the rest of your life. Is that quite clear?"

Arthur nodded his head sadly. He had hoped to talk to his father about so much, and now any chance of a relationship with him had ended. He might have given him the money back in exchange for trying to build something between them, but that wasn't for sale. He took it and hoped he would never see his father again.

At least his father had decided to give him the money. It was the most kindness he'd received from the man in years. Ygraine sighed and told him the truth. Her son deserved to know.

Uther Pendragon was in competition for CEO of the insurance company he worked for. He was a clever man. He was well aware of what would happen if the press found out about the lawsuit. Arthur was too well known. Arthur was too well loved. No affection for his son was involved in his decision. It was all about his career. The lawsuit went away.

Ygraine held her son as he cried. She knew it must be one of the most awful moments of his life, but as she held him she could only feel joy. For so many years he had pushed her away. She watched him suffering and was always the supportive mother, but she could do nothing more. She couldn't give him what she knew he needed most. She couldn't hold him in her arms. That had changed over the past year. Arthur could finally let her hug him again.

Touching Merlin had freed her son to touch others. To be touched by others. Human contact was now a part of his life.

It was one of the reasons Ygraine loved Merlin so much. Soon there would be another.

* * *

Arthur's trust fund would be enough to pay for a few years of university. He had no idea what he'd do then or what would happen to Merlin while he studied.

Then his clever boyfriend did some research.

"My father works for Aeroplex in Vancouver. He's a Canadian citizen. He just works in the U.S. on a blue card permit. That means I can move there, be a resident, and qualify for the lower tuition rate along with members of my family. Arthur, how'd you like to live in Vancouver?"

The greatest shock for Arthur was yet to come. They could afford it.

Merlin had found out a few days before. The battery that won him the science award several years ago led to much more than he had ever anticipated. The discovery might have been put on the back burner for years, but his father worked for an engineering firm specializing in the design of environmentally friendly aircraft. He realized his son's discovery might solve some of the company's technical difficulties in their future product design.

It had required several years of independent research to confirm the benefits of the technology, but when it became apparent that it was going to do what the young scientist said, his father's company was certain it would be worth a small fortune in the future. They made him an offer.

Aeroplex would cover the cost of his tuition in exchange for exclusive use of the technology for the next five years. They also insisted he work for them in their main research facility in Vancouver part-time. A rather generous sum of cash went along with the offer. A very generous sum. It was enough to look after far more than the couple's basic needs. It was enough for them to buy a condo in Vancouver.

It was enough for something else, as well.

* * *

"Arthur, it's not a requirement for residency, but it'd speed things up a bit. That's not why though. It just gave me the idea. Please trust me when I say that."

"You know I trust you, Merlin. Now, PLEASE! What is it?"

Arthur was getting annoyed. He had no idea why his boyfriend was being so cryptic. Merlin looked more nervous than Arthur had seen him in his entire life.

"Arthur..."

* * *

"Arthur? Can you hear me?" Ygraine asked softly.

Merlin and Morgana were kneeling beside her looking concerned. For the umpteenth time Merlin was glad Ygraine was a nurse. She'd been in the garden with Morgana when Arthur passed out.

She tapped the side of his face lightly with her hand. Arthur's eyes started to open. She breathed a sigh of relief before glaring at Merlin.

"Merlin, Arthur doesn't faint. He's damn well near indestructible that way. What the hell happened?" Ygraine asked.

Arthur blinked at his mother several times and smiled. He tried to say something but he was still too dizzy. He grabbed her hand and tugged softly. She looked down and...

"OH, MY GOD!"

She looked up at Merlin and shook her head. "It's...?"

"I'm still waiting to find out if it's enough and I'd really prefer not to wait any longer. ARTHUR! YOU'RE KILLING ME HERE!" Merlin said as he fidgeted anxiously.

"Oh! Ask again! I wanna watch!" Morgana said as she clapped her hands with glee.

Merlin rolled his eyes. Of course this wouldn't go by the book. This was them, after all.

He took a deep breath and asked the question again.

"Arthur, will you marry me?"

His lover's smile was enough, but his word sealed the deal.

"Yes," he answered as he reached into Merlin's hair, pulled him closer and kissed him softly.

They helped Arthur off the floor and sat him down in a chair. Then the real fun began.

"Merlin! It's beautiful! The setting is spectacular! I wouldn't have thought a diamond ring could look so masculine if I hadn't seen this one!" Morgana said. She was beyond excited. Arthur's mother wasn't much better.

"Soooo? The four C's?" Ygraine asked. She was beaming. Not just a "big smile" kind of beaming. She practically glowed.

"Yep. Only the best for my man! Cut, Clarity, Colour and Carat. That battery was worth a helluva lot! I thought about giving him a bigger one but I didn't want him to look like some kind of Vegas showgirl. I did something a bit different instead. Colour. I had to get a broker! She could only find two blue diamonds in the state that would work. I picked the nicer one."

"Two? In the STATE? Why only two? There should be hundreds of blue diamonds available," Morgana asked. She knew a thing or two about gems. She wasn't sure how, but she knew about them.

"Deep blue ones are really rare and..." Merlin held up Arthur's hand as he smiled at his lover.

"It had to match his eyes."

Morgana gasped as a tear ran down her cheek. She could barely get the words out.

"Arthur, in case you're still clueless, THAT'S romantic!"

Arthur wasn't paying attention. He was busy kissing his fiance.


	11. Chapter 11

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 11**

The three friends were relaxing around the outdoor pool, this time in Merlin's father's condo. Four friends, actually. Julian had joined them for the week. They had hopped a plane to Vancouver to check out the campus and the city.

Morgana had spent most of the week condo-hunting with her favourite boys. They were also checking out different venues for their wedding. A lot of their friends were planning to attend. They were just hoping the press wouldn't. The marriage of the hero and his lover was the kind of happy material CNN needed for their 8:35 pm time slot, and the past year had been media-intensive enough for one lifetime.

They had considered getting married in their home town, but their marriage would be official if it took place in Vancouver. The government in the 'Land of Ice and Snow' had recognized gay marriage several years before. Well, their Supreme Court had. The politicians had dragged their feet, as usual. Gay marriage didn't make for a very stable plank in any party's election platform.

Prejudice existed everywhere. Politicians were the same everywhere, too. They wanted to get elected, human rights be damned. At least they didn't fight the court's decision.

Morgana glanced at her friends. Julian was lying on the deck reading a book. Morgana's eyes ran down the brown-haired man's body. He was quite a bit taller than his friends. His hazel eyes didn't compare to Arthur or Merlin's blue ones, but he exuded an innocent sexuality with force. It made her want to corrupt him!

His back was arched as he lay on his stomach, propping his chin up on his palm, elbow resting on the deck. The arch showed off his rounded ass nicely. Morgana was tempted to bite it, but her friends would never let her live it down if she did.

He was focused on some biblical research journal. He read latin, ancient greek and hebrew. He wanted to be a minister but those plans had been put on hold by the 'gay' thing. It didn't change the fact that the topic fascinated him. He kept up his studies, even though he had no idea if he'd ever have a use for them. He didn't even have a church to go to anymore. The Baptist congregation had NOT welcomed his revelation.

Julian also no longer played the piano for the Bible study group. The fundamentalist club hadn't felt comfortable with him. He probably would have kept going but his best friend Andrew hadn't felt comfortable with him, either. Losing each other's friendship was clearly hard on both of them, but Andrew just couldn't accept his 'lifestyle choice.' Morgana, Merlin and Arthur had replaced the hole in Julian's life that prejudice had left. He had come with them to check out the campus as well. He was considering going to U.B.C. with them.

The four friends had gone to the Metropolitan Community Church the Sunday before. It was a queer-focused church, but unlike Julian's previous church, all were invited. Morgana, Arthur and Merlin weren't Christians by any stretch of the imagination, but they had been made to feel welcome. One of them very welcome!

Morgana had bumped into a cute guy there. She had disappeared for the evening and had returned with a goofy grin on her face the next morning. They howled as they discovered she was missing her belt. They were pretty sure she'd never get it back. She hadn't asked the guy for his number. Their friend hadn't even asked him his last name! After a few joking comments involving words like "tramp," they had dropped it. Arthur and Julian weren't in much of a position to criticize her, after all. Merlin chose not to. He knew how important it was to stay on her good side!

She glanced to her other side. Arthur was oiled and wearing his blue Speedos, as usual. He was oblivious to the sweating women around the pool. The day wasn't nearly hot enough to warrant their sweat. They were panting lightly as they watched the blond surreptitiously. Morgana was used to Arthur's beauty, but he really did take one's breath away. The only thing saving him from a flurry of pick-up lines was the ring on his finger. That and his glaring partner.

Merlin was wearing his t-shirt. He refused to be seen in public without one. Her friend was embarrassed by the scar on his shoulder. She sighed. It really was unattractive. She was glad he was comfortable enough to let her see him with his shirt off. He wouldn't let Julian or anyone else, though.

Morgana and Merlin were having a bit of a spat over one of her ideas. She had caught a glare or two over the course of the afternoon, as well.

"Merlin, I know the bar thing didn't go so well, but this is different. There'll be a lot more light and a lot more people. Arthur can't get into too much trouble at a parade," Morgana assured him for the fourth time.

Merlin looked nervous. Their experiment with the gay bar hadn't gone well at all. Actually, it had gone well for Julian. Arthur, too, until his wicked hangover the next morning, that is. After Arthur and Julian had gotten over their mutual embarrassment, and Merlin his irritation, they had all become close friends.

The parade was also a lot more public and Arthur assured Merlin no visits to dark rooms would be happening. In fact, he had promised his partner that the next time he was in a bar he'd head towards the biggest group of people, no matter how scary. Any dark places would be avoided! Merlin just rolled his eyes and nodded.

Vancouver was turning out to be a lot of fun. Arthur had studied some of the travel websites with Morgana before they left home. They had gone to the Vancouver Aquarium, and had spent the previous day walking around the sea wall in Stanley Park. Both were really looking forward to the Pride parade tomorrow.

"I already told you, Merlin. I'm going with Morgana. Sure you won't join us?" Arthur asked firmly. The twinkle in his eye highlighted his new ring.

Merlin was beginning to think the coloured diamond wasn't such a good idea after all. It was like looking into three azure pools instead of just two. It was getting to be impossible for him to deny Arthur anything. The fact that his lover's hand was resting on those glistening abs Merlin adored had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all! He was sure if he kept repeating it to himself he'd eventually believe it.

Merlin recognized Arthur's tone. The tone that under other circumstances might be called a command. He usually only used it during sex but he was using it today. It meant one thing in a non-sexual context. Arthur had made up his mind. The only question was whether Merlin would be enjoying the parade with his partner, or sulking at home worrying about what trouble he was getting himself into.

"Fine! I'll go, too," Merlin said. "Actually, I've always been curious about it. Plus, I've heard it's a 'bi' paradise. At least the photos sure look that way!" He had glanced at some of the websites, too.

"We'll just be sure we look and don't touch this time," Morgana laughed.

Touching would be a bit more serious now that the two were engaged. She doubted there was anything either could do to change that but she preferred not to test her theory. She was pretty sure the two would never break up, but she had a feeling any serious touching of someone else would result in a hissy-fit that would register on the Richter scale.

The next morning, the four of them woke up early and prepared to go to the parade.

"Just don't forget the suntan lotion! It's going to be hot today. Not just Vancouver hot, actual hot... like 30 degrees hot," Morgana assured them. Then she blinked in surprise. 30? Brrr!

She looked at the conversion app on her iphone. "86 degrees F." That made a lot more sense. Stupid metric system! She didn't say anything, though. It was one of Merlin's pet peeves. She had heard the lecture many times before and didn't care to hear it again.

"Science happens in metric! The world happens in metric! 195 countries and only three don't use it! Burma, Liberia and the U.S.A. Time to bite the bullet, people!"

They would have just ignored him but it was hard to. It was personal. They remembered how eager their friend had been to see the results from the Mars Climate Orbiter in 1998. He was less than ten years old, but he had awaited the results with bated breath. And then... a $300 million dollar probe, lost because of a single imperial-metric conversion error by Lockheed-Martin! Morgana and Arthur had avoided Merlin for most of a week. He was far too angry to play with.

Anyway, 86 was hot! At least the parade route was near the ocean. The wind should keep them cool even if the day was searing. They headed off to the parade together.


	12. Chapter 12

**Unending Passion**

**JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 12**

Pride Day was incredibly colourful and stunningly loud! Last year nearly a million people had attended, families included. She had read about it on the internet, but nothing prepared them for the live experience. Scantily clad women and men wandered the streets as parents pushed their kids through the crowds in rainbow-covered strollers. Over the past twenty years, the parade had evolved from a few people being pelted with vegetables to one of the city's most celebrated events.

Everywhere Morgana looked, people were laughing and squirting each other with water guns. Everywhere she looked people were having fun. Everywhere she looked but right beside her.

The Pride Parade was NOT turning out to be fun for Merlin. It was one of the hottest, sunniest days of the year and he had worn his trademark black outfit. Shorts and a T-shirt, but still black. Even his Docs were black. He said his feet felt like they were stuck in little ovens. He was using his red scarf as a bandana but it wasn't helping anymore. It was soaked. He kept wringing it out, but it wouldn't absorb another drop of sweat. His skin matched the scarf, but not from sunburn. He was overheating. Their assumption that the ocean breeze would keep them cool had been wrong. The air was as still as could be.

"Morgana, I can't take it anymore. You guys will have to go on without me. I'll take a taxi back," Merlin wheezed.

Arthur looked disappointed. He hadn't seen anything like this before, and he wanted to see more. He was having a great time and that parade hadn't even started yet! Morgana shared his opinion. A really cute guy had let her lick the sweat off his chest. It hadn't seemed to do much for him, but it sure had for her. She had been grinning for hours. So had Julian. He was single! He was cute! He was horny! They weren't sure how much longer he'd be hanging around them. A cute blond guy had been following him for a while. They had heard Pride Day was informally known as "Gay Lay Day." It was pretty clear why!

"You're not leaving, Merlin! No way! We're having fun and you're going to have fun with us. Time to lose the black," Morgana said as she looked around the booths on the street. She spotted something. That would work! She dragged Merlin over to the booth and spoke briefly with the young topless woman selling the clothes.

Topless was generally frowned upon by society but what were the police going to do? They had stopped fighting it years before. Every time they told a woman to put her top back on a few hundred women around them started to take theirs off in protest. Besides, if you weren't pretty relaxed around nudity, chances were you didn't go to the parade.

A few minutes later, Merlin stepped out of the change room. Morgana could hardly control her laughter.

"It looks like a rainbow threw up on me, Morgana," Merlin muttered.

She grinned. "Yes, but you'll be a lot cooler. The rainbows aren't particularly tasteful, but at least you look like a lot of other people at the parade."

"Where? Show me these other people! I see no one else wearing a rainbow hologram shirt and shorts! Look! I move my arm and people go blind!"

Morgana, Arthur and Julian tried not to laugh. They failed. People without sunglasses were shading their eyes when they looked at Merlin. He was bright! He was reflecting the sunlight, which meant he wasn't absorbing the heat from it. He'd be much less warm and much less cranky. The rainbow sneakers just added to the image.

"Come on, Merlin. Pay the nice woman. The parade's about to start and it's usually really busy. If we go now, we can get a spot at the start and see the end of the parade before everyone else does. I don't know about you but the beer garden lineup looks a lot shorter now than it did before. I bet we'll walk in if we head over there after the parade ends," Arthur said.

"Alright, come on. It's about ten minutes away," he said.

They took off for the parade together. Not everything went well.

"Wow, Honey! I thought I stood out in a crowd, but look at you!" the huge, muscle-bound drag queen squealed.

Merlin ground his teeth. He did NOT like being told he stood out more than the pink feather-covered giant in front of him. He couldn't even do anything about it! Morgana had thrown out his black clothes when he wasn't watching, curse her! She pointed out the fact that they were soaked with sweat anyway.

They reached the front of the parade route a few minutes later. Then something happened that made things much, much worse.

"Look! It is! It's him! What's his name? Merlin Emrys? And that's the other one beside him!" the observant reporter said to her cameraman. She recognized a media opportunity when she saw one. She grabbed the panicking parade manager.

The manager's eyes widened. "We just found out. Helga's not going to be able to do it. Too much sun and too little sense. She's got a touch of sunstroke. Him though... we might just pull this off. And it's not like anyone can miss him in that outfit. It looks like a rainbow threw up on him! A great big holographic visible-from-space rainbow! It'll look like we've planned it from the beginning!"

"Do this carefully. I remember from the incident. He's skittish. Surprise is our friend here," the reporter pointed out.

"Do you think the cute guy with them will help?" the cameraman asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think his dark haired friend will. She's got that look. Let me go ask her."

She stepped carefully around the people sitting on the sidewalk and motioned to Morgana. The reporter whispered in her ear. A wicked grin spread across Morgana's face. It had never been wider. If Merlin had seen it, his blood would have run cold. She nodded to the reporter and bounced back to her friends.

THIS was going to be fun!

A bunch of motorcycles rounded the corner. They were deafening as their riders gunned the engines. "Dykes on Bikes" always started the parade. The first float followed after them. The condom company had paid a lot of money to be first. The truck was pushing one flatbed in front of it, and pulling another behind it. It was a big float! Music started blaring from the huge speakers attached to the front. Swimsuit wearing men and women gyrated on a platform made to look like a huge condom. A giant foam machine was churning out enough bubbles to cover them. Mostly. Lots of eyes tracked the float.

The second one was peaceful by comparison. The Mayor of Vancouver rode in the back seat of an antique Rolls Royce. The grill on the front of the thing looked almost as bright as Merlin.

The third one featured the Speedo line of swimsuits. More beautiful people! The company had seen the first float and knew free advertising when they saw it. They had given everyone on the float a free swimsuit. This was going to be a fun parade!

"Come on! Move forward! I wanna see the boys on the foam float from close up," Morgana yelled. The parade was beyond loud! Merlin, Arthur and Julian were watching with her. The four friends weren't particularly tall and a few of the men in front of them were in heels. It was hard to see around a two metre tall man in 20 centimetre high pumps.

"You want to see hot men, Morgana? Well, that's hardly a surprise," Merlin yelled back. The cheerleader's desires were legendary. "We can squeeze through here. Come on! We'll have to sit on the curb, but that should be Ok. We'll just get a bit wet from the water guns. I really wish they didn't put ice in them! In this heat the water feels like a thousand little needles. Here, sit down. Next time we should... HEY! LET GO OF ME!"

Merlin tried to scramble backwards, but he was already sitting on the curb, and there was a wall of people behind him. He couldn't escape from the leather women pulling him towards... ACK! Not that! They couldn't!

The leather women stuffed him into the back of the Rolls Royce. The mayor showed her delight as she saw him and helped drag him in. She recognized a media opportunity when she saw one.

Merlin kept trying to squirm away. The mayor whispered in his ear. He got a resigned look on his face. She whispered again, and that beautiful smile Arthur loved so much appeared as if by magic. Merlin's drama skills made it look authentic. Arthur could tell it wasn't. He wasn't paying much attention to his partner, though.

Arthur was trying to hide. If they went for Merlin, they might try for him as well! The floats did look like fun, though. Not sitting with the mayor! That looked like hell! He had a pretty good idea that's where he'd end up if people recognized him. He saw the reporter hunting for him. He only had a few seconds! Wait! He smiled. It was the perfect place to hide!

Merlin was smiling and waving like the Queen, with a slightly cupped hand moving slowly through about thirty degrees of arc. It looked like he was relaxing a bit. Then he saw Morgana whispering to the parade manager. Both of them smiled. That wasn't a good sign at all! The manager spoke into his mobile phone as Morgana disappeared.

Merlin nearly fell off the back of the Rolls as it accelerated. The mayor held onto him. She had been expecting it. She was media savvy. The car swerved around the float in front of it, and back to... ACK! It drove to the head of the parade. He jumped as the speakers on the giant condom behind him started blaring.

"A big welcome to Mayor Atkins, and a big surprise for all of you. The Grand Marshall of the Pride Day Parade... Merlin Emrys!"

Merlin's smile didn't falter, but he still managed to mutter "Son of a..." before...

The screams. Oh, the screams. It didn't matter that they were happy screams. They would haunt him for life. The worst was being squirted constantly by the ice cold water guns. At least he was no longer too hot. He was shivering! Then he looked back.

"WHAT THE HELL? ARTHUR!"

Arthur had hopped up on the float behind him wearing only his blue Speedos. The float with the bubbles. The one with the scantily clad women and men. He was effectively camouflaged by the bubbles. Merlin was pretty sure that had been his goal. Where was the last place anyone would think to look for Arthur as he hid? Ten metres behind Merlin!

Merlin saw a set of hands sliding up and down his partner's oiled chest. He rolled his eyes and kept smiling as he fumed. Then the source of the hands appeared from behind Arthur. Merlin smile turned genuine very quickly. He couldn't stay mad if he wanted to. Morgana was in a blue Speedo swimsuit, dancing along with Arthur. The hands had been hers. Desires, indeed! She stuck out her tongue at him. Merlin was pretty sure both were extremely thankful they had decided to wear their swimsuits under their shorts.

The mayor recognized Arthur. "Get him to come join us!"

"He won't. He's too shy," Merlin explained. The mayor raised an eyebrow, and he realized just how ridiculous that sounded given Arthur's current location and mode of dress.

"Um, the bubbles must be helping," he muttered. He waved at Arthur. Arthur waved and laughed. Now one of the men behind him was getting a little frisky but Merlin had more important things to worry about. Like the woman running beside his car.

The Premier of British Columbia also knew a media opportunity. Screw the middle of the parade where they had put her convertible limo. The front was where the action was! She hopped up on the Rolls and waved along with Merlin and the Mayor.

The reporter had a field day. Broadcasting live to CBC wasn't something she had expected to do this early in her career. Needless to say, she was delighted. The Premier had really pushed things over the top. A few years ago a politician of her caliber wouldn't have been caught dead at the parade, but Vancouver was as left-wing a city as they came and it was her power base. Plus, as she said, she always had a riot!

One of the leather women grabbed Merlin. He looked at her and smiled. She was hot! He always had a bit of a thing for leather. The young woman decided he'd look better without his shirt. She grabbed the sleeve and pulled.

The music continued, but the sharp intake of breath from the spectators was louder. His cry of pain was louder still. Merlin tried to pull his shirt back on as the woman apologized to him profusely. Thankfully the sight had only been visible from a small portion of the parade route.

Merlin's shoulder had been visible for several seconds. His badly scarred shoulder, still slightly misshapen from where the bullet had shattered his collarbone. The shoulder he found so embarrassing. Only a few thousand people at the parade had seen it happen, but the cameras had been recording. The wincing Premier helping him pull his shirt back on caught CNN's attention. It was somewhat morbid. They needed something morbid for the 2 pm news. The 2:20 pm time slot to be specific. They ran with it and kept repeating it every hour in the same "morbid" slot.

One comfort for Merlin was the fact that Arthur had been visible behind him in the photo they published in Time magazine. His bebubbled boyfriend earned a lot of attention himself. The two small scars were visible on his chest. That shot wasn't morbid. It showed Merlin and the lover he had saved.

After the parade, Merlin swore at her in a continuous stream for several minutes. Morgana managed to point out a positive when she could squeeze a word in edgewise. They let the Grand Marshall, his lover and his friends into the beer garden without waiting in line.

Pride Day had taken over the playground and turned it into a beer-soaked funfest. There was a splash pad in the playground. The splash pad was like a huge shower that shot water all over the place. The water fell back and accumulated at the bottom of a big concrete circle about twenty metres across. Lots of ice cold water about half a metre deep. Lots of fun after the heat of the parade! It was called a splash pad for a reason.

Julian and Morgana were already splashing around. Julian had taken his shirt off. The water was really cold. His nipples redefined perky!

Merlin wasn't going to do it, but it was just so hot out! Arthur looked at him and understood the problem. He looked sad briefly before he smiled at his lover. "If you want to get over it, you'll have to do it someday and there's nowhere it'll be more welcome than here."

Merlin sighed. Arthur was right. Jason had tried to kill him. He had failed. He wasn't going to succeed at embarrassing him any longer, either. He took off his shirt before he splashed around on the pad. Arthur hopped under the shower with him. He was still wearing his Speedos. They sputtered and laughed under the freezing water before they hopped out a minute later.

Silence had descended while they were caressing each other under the shower. After a few shocked seconds people relaxed. The Grand Marshal's shoulder looked awful, but he was clearly having a lot of fun and he was with the young man he had saved. His man. They went back to their conversations and pick-up lines.

Merlin had noticed the silence. He got a resigned look on his face and started to head back to their spot on the grass to get his shirt. Julian stopped him. He grabbed Merlin by the arm and turned him around. He looked into his eyes.

Julian's cheek started to twitch. He stuttered softly as he tried to force the words out. "I r... r... really like y... y... your rainbow outfit, M... M... Merlin."

Merlin rolled his eyes as Morgana and Arthur snickered. Julian was incapable of lying. He could try, but he was reduced to a stuttering, twitching mess within seconds when he did. Then he kissed Merlin lightly on his bad shoulder and caressed the scar on his friend's hip. He stepped close to him and held him as he looked deep into his eyes and said the thing that made all the difference.

"You're beautiful, Merlin. I wouldn't change a thing about you."

Julian wasn't twitching. He wasn't stuttering, either. His voice was confident and full of affection. Julian was telling the truth. His friend's scar wasn't scary. It wasn't terrible. It was just a part of him.

Merlin cried softly as Julian held him. Morgana and Arthur looked on in wonder. Julian had always wanted to be a minister. Clearly he would have made a wonderful one.

Well...

"OK, that's enough! Let him go!" Arthur said with a smile. Julian grinned at him and started to step away. Then his eyes widened. A look of horror spread across his face. He clamped onto Merlin like a magnet. There wasn't a bit of room between them.

"NO!" Julian cried.

"What do you mean no?" Arthur asked. "Let him go. It's my turn now!"

"NO!"

Merlin looked at Julian in confusion. Then he started chuckling.

"Gee, you really do think I'm beautiful, don't you, Julian? I can feel it," Merlin said with a snicker.

"We can all feel it, Merlin," Morgana replied. She was still sniffling from the touching scene she had just witnessed.

"No... I mean I can FEEL it. Hmm. Wrong emphasis. I can feel IT!" He ground his hips against Julian's and snickered at the gasp. Julian was hard and it would be pretty obvious to everyone if he let go.

Julian glowed red as Morgana started howling. Arthur just rolled his eyes and walked over to the big shower on the splash pad. He aimed one of the sprayers at Julian and Merlin and laughed as they sputtered for a minute under the ice-cold water. Julian finally stepped away from Merlin with a shy look on his face.

"Sorry, Merlin."

"Thank you, Julian," Merlin said with a soft smile.

"Well, at least I know the whole 'cold shower' thing works. Not that I'd ever want to use it, of course," Morgana mused. "I have my own way of dealing with that sort of thing," she purred as she winked at Julian.

Lots of people came up to Merlin after they returned to their seats on the grass. He was touched by the number of people who offered to help him if he needed it. He considered accepting the chiropractor's offer. His shoulder still hurt sometimes and he hadn't started looking for a chiropractor in his new city. Arthur had been supportive. Chiropractors were professionals.

Merlin was amused when some people who didn't fit into the "professionals" category offered to be too helpful. Arthur growled at them. He had never seen his fiance growl at a woman before but Arthur had seen Merlin's reaction to their leather outfits. His growl was so loud it made Merlin jump. Arthur slipped his arm around Merlin's waist and flashed his ring at them. Both of the young women left quickly.

As the sun started to set, Merlin realized how content he was with his shirt off. Morgana had been up to her usual tricks and the parade had been embarrassing, but it was nothing compared to finally winning that last battle.

The next year, Merlin would go shirtless for the whole day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 13**

Arthur hadn't been sure about the best way to do it, but he knew he wanted Morgana to be a part of it, just like she was when Merlin had proposed. Their "little monster" was so much a part of their lives it would have felt like something was missing, otherwise.

Merlin's fiance actually started sweating as he checked all the pockets in his jacket. Where in the hell was it? Morgana smiled as she handed him the box. Oh, yeah. He had given it to her to take care of once she promised she wouldn't look at it. She knew he'd be too nervous to take care of it. Clearly she had been right.

Arthur dropped to one knee in front of his surprised fiance. Merlin hadn't been expecting it at all. Usually only one person gave the other a ring. Arthur had decided that wasn't enough. There was something important he had to tell Merlin, and he wanted it to last a lifetime.

"OK, I'm not good at the whole romance thing, but here goes." Arthur took a ring out of a small velvet box and placed it on Merlin's finger. The platinum band caught the light. A tiny reddish speck of metal glinted in the centre.

Merlin glanced at the ring and back to his fiance. He looked at Morgana and raised an eyebrow.

"I have no idea where he's going with this, Merlin. It's a scrap of metal instead of a diamond. Do you really think I had much say in the matter?" Morgana looked unimpressed.

Arthur glared at her. "It's not just a scrap of metal! Don't call it that! Well, I guess it is, but it's more."

"It's more to me. Merlin, your mother found it in your clothes after the incident. It was all that was left of the bullet. Just a scrap of copper."

"I see your scars every day. I see them when we make love. They're a constant reminder of what you did for me. Now I can be reminded all the time. All I have to do is look at the ring."

"You both represent life to me. My life. If you hadn't... If you hadn't... Shit! I promised myself I wasn't going to cry!"

Arthur paused and took a breath as he wiped away the tears.

"If you hadn't thrown yourself in the way of that bullet, it would have killed me. No maybe. It would have. The bullet nearly took my life. You nearly gave your life to save me. I'll never forget. I love you, Merlin."

"Did I do it right?" Arthur asked Morgana as he looked at her nervously.

"Arthur? Please teach me how to be romantic," she whispered.

* * *

Their wedding day was one of the happiest of their lives. The weather had decided to cooperate, so they held it outside. Stanley Park was a beautiful green forest located right in the heart of the city. They had decided on a wedding in the forest. Sunlight peeked through the forest canopy, illuminating everything with a soft, shifting light.

To one side of their green chapel, the ocean lapped at the sea wall softly. Merlin had always liked nature. Water, wind and sunlight had played a part in selecting their venue. They had an alternate one arranged in case of rain. Vancouver rained the majority of the year. It was a beautiful city, whether gray or sunny, but they decided their wedding should be a dry one.

Merlin had proposed first. Morgana and he had decided that made Arthur the "bride." Arthur was radiant in his white tux. Merlin was stunning in his black one. There was someone else who really grabbed the spotlight, though.

As they stood at the front of the church together, the minister motioned to his young friend. Julian stepped out from behind the wall. He was wearing a high-collar black suit with a small white rectangle at his throat, a brilliant rainbow stole across his shoulders.

"My friends, this is Julian. He's been accepted into the Masters of Divinity program at U.B.C., but we met with the head of M.C.C. a few weeks ago. We tested him. His biblical knowledge. His community service. His faith. We spoke with his friend Andrew in person. Not the most comfortable conversation for anyone, but it was enlightening!

Julian will be the new associate pastor at M.C.C. Vancouver starting this fall. I think he'll be taking it from here, unless there are any objections?

The cheers were deafening. Everyone knew this had been Julian's dream. He hadn't been formally ordained, so the minister made it official afterwards. It didn't matter to them. Julian had married them.

Everyone knew this had been his dream, including Alex. At the last minute, he had decided to attend their wedding. He was certainly uncomfortable, but he cheered with everyone else. He would look on their marriage day as one of the happiest days of his life, as well.

A young woman caught his eye there. It was love at first sight. She was beyond liberal. He was very much conservative. Opposites attracted. They were married two years later.

As their parents and friends watched Merlin and Arthur kiss, they realized it really was a day of dreams come true.


	14. Chapter 14

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 14**

Arthur and Merlin moved into a condo in Vancouver a few weeks later. They didn't know many other people in the city. They missed Morgana terribly, but she had gone to Harvard to study Systems Management and could only see them a few weeks of the year. She had dedicated herself to understanding the computers that freed her friends with a click-click-click. That was power she wanted to understand and harness.

Then Merlin met Will.

"How the hell is this 'Intro' to anything?" Will said, looking extremely irritated. He had been in the class for three weeks, and he still didn't get the basic math. The tutorial group was struggling with the new concepts being presented to them on a daily basis. Merlin wasn't. He was sitting in the tutorial trying not to yawn again. It had really irritated Professor Tao when he did it last time.

Merlin could have taught the course better than the ancient professor, but he still needed it to get his Masters degree. For all his faults, the professor was fair. Merlin earned the highest marks in his class in spite of his yawning and general disorderliness. He just had to attend the class and the tutorials. Will had ended up in his tutorial group. He was pretty quiet, but there was something about him. Merlin could never put his finger on it, but it was a deep friendship from the start.

Their connection was strengthened by the fact that Merlin and Arthur had just moved to Vancouver and Will was staying there for eight months until he returned to his home in Toronto for the summer. The three of them ended up spending a lot of time together.

Will planned to move to an apartment an hour away from theirs. It wasn't a nice one. In fact, it was a room over a known crack house, but it was all he could afford. Will worked at Starbucks. Vancouver was an expensive city to live in. He couldn't stay in the dorm he had lived in before. He was no longer a student. He didn't have much of a choice.

Merlin had one of his clever ideas.

"Will, come live in our building. There are vacancies. I think they have a one-bedroom unit available."

Will laughed. "You guys aren't your typical starving students. I couldn't afford half of the rent in your building."

"You could afford this one," Merlin said. "It's one of the government-owned units. You don't make much. You could probably qualify. Let me check into it."

Merlin found out about the subsidy program and Will was living in their building within a month. His apartment was on the fourth floor with a courtyard view. Not exactly luxury. They lived on the 28th floor with a view of the ocean in a much more luxurious condo, but they were just an elevator ride away from each other now.

His high school classmates always knew Merlin was smart. They just had no idea how smart. They knew he won the science fair with his battery project, but no one thought any more of it.

Ygraine had saved up some money for Arthur's education over the years. She gave it to them without conditions. Merlin knew they could live on Arthur's father's contributions alone, but he had some idea of what to do with the money. Arthur and Ygraine both trusted him to use it responsibly.

Merlin did.

Merlin used the money Ygraine had given them for investments in high-tech companies. Unlike many investors, he actually understood what he was investing it.

While Merlin was playing with his starships he was also busy doing other things. Arthur's boyfriend had already published three scholarly papers on high-efficiency energy storage. The university didn't want him in their . program. They wanted him in their program. While Arthur worked on the second year of his Bachelor of Arts degree, Merlin finished his thesis and earned his Masters of Science degree. He was accepted into the university's Doctoral program. He completed it a year later.

Arthur was 21 years old and found himself married to Doctor Emrys. Merlin was accepted as an associate professor in the physics department at the university. His somewhat bitter colleagues were talking about a possible full professorship with tenure in the next year or two. He had continued publishing papers at the same time he compressed seven years of education into three.

* * *

Doctor Emrys wasn't your average professor. He was younger than many of the students taking his Master's level class in super-string theory, and there was an interesting thing about him. He liked to blow off steam on the weekends. When his colleagues went home to their cats, he hit the clubs. He was a 21 year old, dark haired, blue eyed man who knew how to move on the dance floor. He had a lot of practice with his girlfriends when he was in his teens. He could hold his own against the best of them. He also didn't seem to care about the whole supposed "Professor-Student" formality.

Morgana visited a few weeks after he started his new job. Merlin had gone out with some of his students for the evening. Arthur didn't mind. He had never quite gotten over that first experience at a gay bar, but Merlin had always enjoyed it. He mentioned his students were going to "Catastrophe," and he wanted to go with them.

Morgana talked Arthur into going with her. It was her first time in Vancouver and she wanted to see the nightlife. Arthur found a stretchy top and pants that showed off his ass and joined Morgana. They were looking forward to surprising Merlin.

"Catastrophe" was nothing less. Morgana and Arthur were walking along an upper floor catwalk. All these clubs seemed to have catwalks. Watching people was very important in places like...

"Morgana, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Arthur gasped.

Morgana looked where he was pointing and blinked several times.

"Dear Lord! I mean I knew he was bi, but really!" She started laughing as she pulled out her phone and started recording.

"Oh, big help you are!" Arthur looked for the stairwell to the dance floor. It was going to take him an hour to cut through to where Merlin was, but he was damn well going to do it!

He ended up disappointing a lot of people. Merlin was in the middle of his own feeding frenzy, men and women pawing at him, kissing him, touching him in places Arthur considered off-limits to anyone but him. When he finally got his hands on Merlin his partner had developed what could only be described as a short-term relationship with several women dressed in leather.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY HUSBAND!" Arthur bellowed.

Everyone stepped back. Arthur was still pretty scary when he got angry. Merlin nearly got away from him. He wasn't trying to escape. He was trying to reach the leather women again. Arthur was strong. He dragged him off the dance floor trailing leather women behind. He eventually pulled Merlin into the third floor washroom. He locked the door. If he was going to be yelling at Merlin, it was something he didn't want his partner's students to hear.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?"

"I..." Merlin looked confused. "It was just dancing. I used to dance like that all the time. You knew I danced like that. I didn't think you'd mind."

"DANCING? YOU CALL THAT DANCING? WELL, GUESS WHAT MERLIN. I MIND!"

"I'm really sorry, Arthur. If I knew it would bother you I wouldn't have done it."

"That's not nearly good enough. Not this time, Merlin. You need a lesson like you needed one all those years ago. You need a reminder of who you belong to!"

Arthur pushed Merlin into the wall and pressed his face against the tile. He couldn't move.

It was like the field all over again. It was like...

OHGOD!

It wasn't like the field at all!

Arthur held Merlin's hands against the wall over his head like he was arresting him. There was some kind of fumbling before Arthur rammed into him from behind.

Merlin gasped. Arthur hadn't used his fingers first this time. He screamed as he took Arthur deep. No one could hear him yelling over the music. No one could open the locked door to save him. It was... so hot!

Arthur worked with a slow, steady rhythm as if he were something mechanical. He was sending Merlin a signal. It was something Merlin might want to be over fast and it wasn't going to be. Merlin cursed that condom Arthur always carried with him. They made him last a LONG time. He turned his head and looked at Arthur.

Arthur had taken off his shirt. He was bare-chested and dripping with sweat. His eyes burned like embers. He was furious. He was breathing through his clenched teeth. He was like some kind of animal.

Oh!

Arthur was an animal marking his territory. He plowed into him as he yelled, "FUCK YOU, MERLIN! YOU'RE MINE!" Merlin was pretty sure he heard a soft purr after he did. He knew Arthur would stop if he asked. He wasn't going to ask.

Arthur pulled him away from the wall and wrapped his arm around Merlin's neck. Then he arched his back. Merlin was lifted off the ground, impaled on him. He was so deep inside. He'd never been deeper. He couldn't be any deeper.

"UNGH... FUCK NO... UNGH... OH PLEASE... OH PLEASE... I'M SORRY... GOD... I'M SORRY... UNGH!"

"Did you say 'Please' before you whored around with those women? And did you just tell me 'NO?' NOT THIS TIME. NO PLEASE. NO APOLOGY. FUCK YOUR 'NO', YOU TAKE ME NOW!" he yelled as he lifted Merlin again and again, ramming in deep each time.

"ARTHUR... ARTHUR... UNGH! I CAN'T... YOU CAN'T..."

"What can't you do? Keep your hands out of your student's pants? And don't tell me what I can't do. Not to you. Not tonight. I'll do what I want to you tonight and YOU'LL TAKE IT! In this bar... in this washroom... my cock pounding your hole... YOU'LL TAKE IT!"

"AAAAAAAAAGH! GOD... FUCK... AAAAAAAAAGH! It hurts! It hurts this time!"

"How much?" There was the sound of plastic opening. A smooth liquid slid inside him along with Arthur.

Merlin sighed. "Oh, that's much better. It doesn't hurt too bad now. Like when you... UNGH UNGH UNGH!"

Arthur slammed him against the tile wall. He pushed up against him with his whole body. Merlin couldn't move. Every inch of him was crushed between Arthur and the wall. Then Arthur started bucking again. Merlin could feel the tile go slick with his own precum.

"OH PLEASE DON'T... OH FUCK... OH PLEASE DON'T..."

"Does that hurt? Will it help you learn your lesson?"

"OH PLEASE DON'T STOP!"

"Hmm. Not exactly what I was going for, but..." Arthur purred. He bit down on Merlin's neck and started sucking softly. Merlin's eyes rolled back into his head as he struggled weakly against Arthur.

The sliding... the ramming... the bucking... all of it different. All of it hitting different things in different ways. Sooooo good!

It went on for a long time. A REALLY long time.

Arthur finally came. He pulled out. He tore off the condom and shot all over Merlin's back, yelling "MINE! MINE! MINE!" over and over with each shot. The warm feeling splashing against his shirt was incredible.

The students waiting outside the washroom didn't have to be very bright to figure out what happened. There was stuff all over the back of the professor's shirt and his hair wasn't quite right. Arthur had also forgotten to put his shirt back on. One of the young women actually swooned when she saw his bare chest. If that wasn't bad enough, the music had stopped while they announced "last call." His students had heard a hell of a lot. Arthur put his shirt back on and dragged Merlin into a taxi by the scruff of the neck, shooing away leather women as he did.

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was NOT pleasant.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Arthur. I..."

"WHAT?" Arthur yelled. Merlin whimpered. His hangover was pretty spectacular.

"I didn't know that they were going to..."

"WHAT? Jack you off on the dance floor?"

"That's not what happened. I'd never let that happen. It didn't happen. I don't think it happened," Merlin whispered, as he furrowed his brows trying to recall the evening.

"It didn't happen and you're damn lucky it didn't! I think you should avoid the club circuit for the next while, hmm?"

Merlin winced as he nodded. It was probably for the best. The woman in black leather behind him had been a bit aggressive in her grabbing. He had to wear a bandage on a very personal place for several days and thanks to Arthur's "lesson" he had to stay away from the rough stuff for a while.

He also had to go to the dentist. He had cracked a filling as he bit down too hard. The next time he'd try to remember they both wore belts.

* * *

Professor Emrys had a very interested class the next Monday. He asked what solution they'd like to present next. The class yelled in perfect unison, "MINE! MINE! MINE!" Several of the young men managed to impersonate Arthur perfectly.

Merlin blushed bright red. He cleared his throat and changed the topic. "Any questions?"

His students had lots of questions for the professor.

Unfortunately for him, none of them were about physics.

* * *

.

**A/N**: Hopefully the dub-con wasn't too intense. Do let me know if you liked it, or if you think I should tone it down a bit. All reviews are appreciated. I find them really encouraging.

Cheers!

JulieGee


	15. Chapter 15

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 15**

Arthur had been delighted when they repaid Ygraine the money she had given them after some of Merlin's investments really started to pay off a year later. His husband's tenured professorship had helped their finances, too.

Arthur smiled as he recalled the first office party at the university. The bitterness of Merlin's colleagues had NOT been helped by the Halloween party at all. Arthur decided to go as a Roman centurion. He had skipped the breastplate part of the costume and went bare-chested. The kilt-thing didn't hide his legs much, either.

When Merlin's colleagues saw him, they thought he was the stripper they had hired to embarrass the head of their department. He tried to tell them otherwise, but they weren't listening. They were howling too loudly He kept trying to scurry away from them, but they kept grabbing at him and yelling for him to take his clothes off. The money was the worst. When they got home he found several bills in very embarrassing places!

When Merlin walked up to him, kissed him, and then introduced him as his husband, his colleagues nearly flipped. Merlin was a tenured professor. Gods would envy his husband's beauty. Everyone agreed. Life just wasn't fair.

Arthur's man was brilliant, everyone knew it, and now the two men were comfortable financially. The timing was perfect.

Arthur had always wanted something. He wanted it more than anything else, but he had never discussed it with Merlin. Now they were settled, he asked. Merlin was shocked but he gradually smiled. They were quite young but they were stable, responsible, well educated, and had enough money.

Arthur and Merlin were going to have children. They just hadn't figured out how yet. They chatted with Morgana about it. Both of them still missed her a lot, and she missed them. They had told her about their plans and asked for her advice.

"Oh, my little monsters. I always wondered if you'd ask. Nothing would make me happier than to do this with you. When do we start?"

Morgana had offered. She mentioned she had considered taking a year off from her studies at Harvard. They had never even considered it, but Morgana offered. She volunteered to be the biological mother of their child.

There were some details to work out. Merlin was buried in paperwork again, but eventually it happened.

* * *

Arthur and Merlin had flipped a coin. Arthur won. He had been unsure about the whole thing. He really wasn't bi! Then they found out he didn't have to worry about doing "it." Morgana and the two men had planned to have one child by each of them, as long as Morgana was willing to go through with the second after her first experience with childbirth. It sure looked like it could hurt!

Nature played an interesting trick, though. Arthur was sterile. Merlin never figured out why, but Morgana just looked at Arthur sadly when he told her. The "liquid victory' continued to haunt him. Merlin was pretty sure they knew something about it, but he decided they'd tell him if they ever wanted to.

Merlin had never liked the idea of the "cup and turkey baster" method. It wasn't really that, but it was pretty close to the truth. He lived with science everyday. He didn't want it in something so personal as conceiving their child if it wasn't necessary.

Merlin remembered the event with amusement. He had taken off his clothes. He turned and walked toward Morgana and hopped in the bed with her. Morgana fluttered her eyelashes seductively. Merlin laughed. They had been friends for so long, and this could be a part of it. Morgana was straight. Merlin was bi. It worked. It worked well!

Arthur found both of them curled up together in their bedroom Merlin was smoking a cigarette. He hadn't done that since his girlfriend taught him to blow smoke rings before he was with Arthur. Probably since the last time he had been with a woman. Odd association! From the look on his friends' faces, it was pretty clear what had happened.

"Enjoy yourselves?" Arthur asked as he tapped his foot. He was trying very hard not to grin at the image.

"Oh, yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Morgana purred as Merlin grinned with delight. He blew out a smoke ring and blew another one through it.

"Show off," Arthur muttered.

"Show off? Let me assure you Arthur, that's nothing. You should have seen the way he was showing off earlier," Morgana snickered.

Arthur managed to glare. He wasn't angry. Not really. His lover and his best friend did what it took to get them their child. He just wished they didn't look so happy about it!

Merlin saw the look on his husband's face and smiled.

"Arthur, it used to be just us, bar incidents aside, and they don't exactly count!" All three snickered as Merlin and Arthur remembered the other's experience. Neither could remember their own very well, although Arthur and Julian had pretty clearly won!

Morgana put on a robe and whistled happily as she left her favourite boys alone.

Merlin's voice softened. "It's not just us anymore, Arthur. It's about the child we're going to have. Morgana's the last. We're a family, and we need to be together. Just us."

Arthur smiled and kissed his husband.

And then, twins. Chris and Alex had been a handful from the start. They were theirs and they adored them.

Merlin and Arthur's lives would never be the same.


	16. Chapter 16 Act 2

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**_ACT 2_**

**CHAPTER 16**

Time flew by as it does, and before they knew it, Merlin and Arthur had two teenagers to deal with. One would have been more than enough work. Two would have been hard. But twins?

The twins plotted everything together and they were smart! They redefined "little monsters." Their flustered parents had no chance to do anything about what they had planned until it blew up in their kids' faces, which it usually did eventually. Something made their fathers think they only found out about half their schemes. Surely some of them must have succeeded. They didn't even want to think about those!

Merlin ended up going to the principal's office more often than he had in his entire time in high school. This time he was the parent tapping his foot, waiting to find out what the twins had done today.

Arthur pointed out that he had spent nearly as much time in the principal's office as the twins did.

"Hey, I turned out OK!" he often mentioned.

"Not so much, Arthur. Not so much," Merlin invariably replied.

Then he'd smile, wink at his husband, and they'd go figure out what to do with their errant children this time.

* * *

The twins were more than enough to worry about. At least money wasn't an issue. Merlin's investments had really paid off over the nearly twenty years they had been together. Arthur had investments in more places than he could name. Merlin had even more. The scientist had just returned from checking on one of his companies in Johannesburg and was leaving to visit another one in Kyoto the next morning. Between the university, his companies and his family, his life was pretty full. It made his few days off even more precious.

Merlin was sitting out on the balcony of their home, overlooking the deep green Pacific ocean. Arthur remembered his husband's request a few years after the twins were born.

"I'd really like to design the house myself, Arthur. I'm no architect. We'll need them, too, but I have some ideas for them to work with. Everyone just uses a cookie cutter to make their homes. I want the ocean and the sun and the rain to all play a part in it. Can we?"

Arthur said yes, and Merlin wrote a cheque for it. He had enough to pay for the ocean-side wonderland and the house he was going to build there in their bank account. That surprised Arthur! He hadn't worried about money in years. He hadn't ever looked at their investments in ages. His interest in money had never been that great, and his main goal was to pay his mother back the money she had given them. He blinked when he realized they had done that nearly two decades ago. They ended up paying her far more. Ygraine had been able to retire, travel the world, and bring her friends with her on the income her investments made. She ended up returning to nursing after a few years. Caring for people was in her blood.

The house Arthur's brilliant husband had designed actually let the ocean flow in. Well, maybe Merlin wasn't that brilliant. He could never figure out how to keep the starfish off the automatic mechanisms. He'd had to choose between killing them every time they used the thing, or rolling the floor back by hand with elbow grease and sweat. There was never any question what his choice would be. The starfish stayed. He just installed a nanoglass window so the family could watch them though the floor.

They were far beyond comfortable now. Merlin had developed the substance. He owned the patent on the nearly indestructible nanoglass. Engineers were considering using it to construct buildings and bridges using blocks of it instead of steel and brick. Arthur shivered as he remembered "360," the restaurant they nearly went to on their first date. He still wasn't happy with heights. Thanks to his irritating husband, soon every part of every building he walked into could be transparent as well.

When the men rolled back the floor they could let the ocean wash into another small portion of the living room. They kept the furniture well away from the "dolphin run" so it wouldn't get wet. Arthur had gone swimming with one when they went to Cabo St. Lucas on their honeymoon, and he adored them. Merlin had installed hydrophones to welcome them.

Sometimes a dolphin would swim in, curious about these visitors to its world. Merlin scowled every time Arthur fed them donuts. They'd always reward their human friends with a snort from their blowholes. Nothing could protect the furniture from that! Plus, one of the dolphins Arthur was particularly fond of was starting to look like a sphere with flippers. Arthur had also developed the almost undetectable start of a "spare tire." Time to put both of them on a donut-free diet!

Merlin hadn't rolled back the floor of the living room today. He had chosen to sit on the deck with his coffee, looking out at the endless horizon of grey clouds and grey water, seagulls cawing in the background, the tang of salt in the air, the steady susurration of the waves more relaxing than any music could be.

Alex had gone camping for the weekend with his friends like they often did. Chris was at a weekend football camp. Arthur took a deep breath and steeled himself for what was to come. He walked across the deck to his husband. Merlin glanced up with a smile as he sat down the book he was reading. Then he saw the look on Arthur's face.

Arthur looked pale, and his hands were trembling. Very slight, but it was there.

"What's wrong? Is it one of the kids?" Merlin asked as he leapt to his feet.

He knew their son Chris had been at football camp. Merlin always hated the fact that his son had gone into football. He'd be better than his father someday, but the days when he came home bleeding and bruised all over, Merlin was not happy!

He was very thankful Alex had taken after him. Karate was much safer and Merlin understood those blows. They were controlled. The instructors were proficient. They knew how to pull their punches. The occasional bloody nose was nothing compared to what Chris was taking. He dreaded the call he knew he might receive someday.

"Is it Chris?" he asked, panic evident in his voice.

"No, it's not the kids. Merlin, I'm so sorry," Arthur whispered.

"Arthur, what is it?"

"I..."

"Tell me what's wrong, Arthur!"

The look of panic in Merlin's eyes almost made him reconsider. He realized he couldn't live with himself any longer if he did. His husband's platinum ring with the bit of copper flashed in a thin beam of sunlight that broke through the dark grey clouds. It was as if nature itself demanded the truth.

Arthur took a deep breath and closed his eyes as a tear ran down his cheek.

"Merlin...

I had an affair."

* * *

.

**A/N: I****f you're comfortable with angst**, it would be best if you read **Chapters 17 and 18 **now.

**If you're not comfortable with angst**, the story becomes really funny again starting at **Chapter 21**.

(I promised myself when I wrote the Author's Note at the end of Chapter 1 that I wasn't going to give warnings like these, but many readers found Chapters 16 through 20 too much. An affair is a pretty massive squick and so is the aftermath.)

My author's note at the end of Chapter 18 is important if you choose to read the complete story. Please consider reading it as well.

Thanks,

JulieGee


	17. Chapter 17

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 17**

"What?" Merlin blinked. His mind stuttered. As the rational part of his mind processed Arthur's answer, the emotional part refused to believe it.

"I had an affair, Merlin."

"What do you mean?"

"It's over, I swear. All I want is to put this behind us, and I know it might take time."

Merlin staggered backwards and into the armrest of the Adirondack chair. His mug broke as it crashed to the cedar deck. The cedar deck they had built together. Arthur moved forward to catch him if he fell.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH ME! DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!" Merlin screamed. A flurry of emotions crossed his face. Then he started sobbing.

Arthur had known Merlin for over thirty years. He knew when his husband meant something. He didn't mean it now. He moved forward. After a few half-hearted thumps on his chest he was holding Merlin in his arms.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Arthur whispered.

"Why? Just... why?" asked Merlin.

"Not now. Later. We'll talk about it later. Lets go upstairs. I really need to hold you right now, and you really need to be held," Arthur said softly.

"NO! YOU NEED TO HOLD ME! I'LL NEVER NEED TO HOLD YOU AGAIN!" Merlin pushed him away.

"Tell me. Tell me why, Arthur!" His husband didn't look sad anymore. He was actually spitting out the words he was so angry.

Arthur tried to explain. "It was so new. So exciting. You were the only one I had ever been with that way."

Merlin's eyes narrowed to slits. He was furious. No, he was beyond furious.

"So, let me understand this. You're saying you felt the need to go outside our relationship for sex, not because it wasn't good with me, and not because it wasn't frequent enough, but because I'm the only one you ever had that kind of sex with and you wanted it with someone else?" Merlin hissed.

"Stop twisting my words!" Arthur yelled. "I hate it when you do that!"

"Yeah? Well I hate it when you whore around behind my back but that didn't stop you, now did it?" he yelled back.

Merlin was not entirely rational yet. Actually, he wasn't rational at all.

"So, who with? Some twink from the gym, or did you pick him up at a bar? How many times, Arthur? HOW MANY?" Merlin hissed.

Arthur couldn't meet his lover's eyes. "Please don't make me say it, Merlin. I'm so sorry, but I'll never tell you who I had the affair with."

"Well, that's one of my questions you've sidestepped nicely. How about the second? How many times did you cheat on me?"

Arthur's head hung. His response was barely audible.

"Please don't make me say it," Arthur pleaded.

"No, Arthur. You'll answer the question or I'll never trust you again. How many times?"

"It... I'm... seven..."

"SEVEN? That's pretty specific, Arthur. I guess they must have been memorable fucks, hmm?"

"It wasn't times, Merlin. It was... seven years."

Merlin staggered backwards. His mind stuttered again. He couldn't think. He couldn't breath. He couldn't...

"SEVEN YEARS? You did this behind my back for seven years? Oh, my God! How..." He paused as he recalled their past.

"Seven years ago. The High Energy Physics conference in Beijing. I was gone for a month. So tell me Arthur, how long did your whore sleep in our bed? How long did you wait after I left?"

Damn! Arthur hadn't thought this through well enough. He thought he'd prepared for Merlin's questions, but he should have known. Merlin had always been so much smarter. He could see the wheels spinning in his friend's head since they were children. Frictionless, almost invisible with their speed. Arthur never stood a chance. He had to tell the truth. If Merlin was ever going to trust him again, he'd have to tell the truth now and always.

"A bit more than three weeks. You don't need to hear all the details," Arthur said.

"Wha... three... WELL YOU SURE DIDN'T WAIT LONG, DID YA?" Merlin yelled as he ran across the deck and into the living room. Arthur followed, trying to explain, hoping his husband might understand. Hoping he could forgive.

"We were always attracted to each other. I tried to ignore it. We both did. Neither of us had any idea it would happen. We were just eating dinner and then our legs touched, and then our hands. I leaned over and kissed..."

Merlin's eyes widened in disbelief. "DON'T YOU RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU IDIOT? IT'S OUR FIRST DATE! You couldn't think up something else? ANYTHING ELSE? Was the sex at least original, or did you just copy that, too?"

Their first date. How could he have forgotten? Was that why it had felt so right with...

Wait, don't say THAT! Answering Merlin's questions was bad enough. Remembering more details to tell him wasn't going to be helpful at all.

"Merlin, I'm not doing this any more. You know all you need to know. You'll either forgive me or you won't, and I know there'll be some grey area for a while, but I hope you know this. I love you, and I'll always love you."

Then he gasped as he witnessed a nightmare.

"Oh, NO NO NO NO NO!" his mind screamed as Chris walked in, carrying his football bag.

"Merlin! Not now! Please! I didn't think about..."

Merlin was so angry. He couldn't stop. Arthur was the only one who ever made him lose control. Arthur...

"YOU DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT?" he screamed.

Chris jumped and spun around in shock. He had never heard his father raise his voice before. Not like that. Merlin was screaming! Merlin was screaming at Arthur!

"WHAT DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT, ARTHUR? You didn't even anticipate the most basic questions. You didn't think about the consequences of this conversation with me. You didn't think about how the kids would react. You don't think, Arthur. You never have."

He paused, the fury on his face actually increasing. Arthur wouldn't have thought it possible.

"No, that's not quite right. Sometimes you do think and you take forever and even then, you get it wrong. And you know what Arthur? The kids know it, too. We've been doing our best to compensate for it since they were ten years old and it's tiring. It's tiring living with someone so fucking stupid every day."

"Merlin!" Chris gasped. "You told us never to tell him! How could you tell him?"

Chris started twitching. They all did that. They seemed so relaxed most of the time but they still twitched. Arthur had wondered if it was some genetic condition. If it was something the three should see a doctor about. Something...

"Enough, Chris! No more hands. We talk from now on. If your father's so interested in finally telling the truth he can hear it, too."

"We usually use one hand to augment the conversation, but like you just saw, we can use two. Chris is grounded for a week after this. He's swearing a blue streak as we speak," Merlin said.

"Hands? You use your hands to talk? Why? Why would you do that and not tell me about it?" Arthur said as he shook his head.

"Because Arthur. We do it because we can. Because we can be holding conversations with each other and you at the same time. It's not hard. Conversations with you are simple. It's the way we've always lived together, you included. You just didn't know it until now."

Arthur knew he wasn't stupid. He graduated university with an "A" in Political Science, but compared to the three of them he was so stupid the kids had asked Merlin why he was so slow when they were ten years old. The twins knew none of their classmates could learn to do what they were doing. They knew how smart they were compared to everyone else. They just didn't understand why Merlin was like them and Arthur was as dense as all the other people.

He tried to regain what little composure he had left.

"Merlin, This isn't the time or place for this. The kids don't need to know..."

"You're not listening, Arthur! It doesn't matter what either of us think the kids need to know. He's figuring out what happened as we speak. Chris doesn't wait for everything to stop like you. The twins think about things while they're happening. They consider different scenarios. They calculate the odds to three decimal places before they reach conclusions. You might want to try it someday, although trust me, you'll fail."

Merlin's hands clenched into fists. He blinked and paused as he looked at his hand. Arthur thought his tirade was over. He walked forward to hold him again. The look of devastation on Merlin's face warred with anger. The combination stopped Arthur cold. His husband took off the platinum ring with the bit of copper and sat it carefully on the counter.

"I guess the ring wasn't enough of a reminder, after all. Now get the fuck out of my way."

Merlin walked to the garage door and smashed it open with his shoulder. The sound of his motorcycle was deafening as he gunned the engine. He was gunning his motorcycle in the garage. He had never done that before! There was a screech of tires as he took off. The kids...

"Arthur, you had an affair, didn't you?" Chris asked. His voice shook as he said it, but his eyes were as hard as granite.

His son's words were like a stab through the heart. Arthur closed his eyes. "Chris, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"How could you? Will's been Merlin's best friend since..."

Arthur was stunned. "How did you know it was Will?"

Chris sighed. Merlin was right. Dealing with Arthur's slowness could be tiring. "It's pretty damn obvious when you... Arthur! MERLIN KNOWS! He knows and he's taken the Suzuki and..." he paused.

Arthur could see those wheels spinning in Chris's head. The same wheels Merlin...

"Dad! Will's house is seven minutes away if he runs the reds. Merlin left a minute ago. We have to stop him. Will..."

Arthur finally understood. He grabbed the phone as he tossed Chris the keys to their SUV. He dialed. No, he speed dialed. Number 1. The paint had worn away over the years from all the times they had pushed it to call Will. Merlin's best friend, Will. Arthur's partner in crime, Will.

Will's line was busy.

As Arthur ran towards the car, he dialed a second number.

* * *

Will had just finished watering his garden. His house wasn't anything compared to Merlin and Arthur's, but it was his. It was in a beautiful neighbourhood and it was more than enough for him. His friends had helped with the downpayment and had lent him the money interest-free. He wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise.

He put down the hose and started walking back towards the house, whistling happily. Vancouver wasn't the sunniest place in the world, but it was great for tulips! The green moss and grey lichen that grew on all the trees added a touch of nature to the garden it would have been hard to duplicate anywhere else. He smiled as a squirrel ran across the fence and into...

The sliding door exploded outwards as a motorcycle smashed through it. Someone must have driven it right through the house and out the back door!

Merlin took off his helmet and got off his motorcycle, breathing heavily. He didn't bother to park it. He let it fall to the ground where it had stopped. Will was stunned. Merlin babied the Suzuki. He had modified it almost beyond recognition. It was one of his most treasured possessions.

He forgot all about it as he saw Merlin's eyes. Will had never seen eyes like that. He would never have thought his friend's eyes could be so full of hate.

Merlin advanced slowly. All he could see was red. Arthur had always talked about it, but Merlin hadn't understood. He finally did. He saw red. He took off his shirt. His tank top showed his tanned muscles as he flexed them, stretched them without even thinking about it. He attacked Will at full speed.

Will tripped on a rock and fell as he backed away. Merlin's foot splintered the board of the wooden fence where his chest had been a moment before. Will scrambled backward across the lawn towards the deck. There was a blur as Merlin kicked again. Will blocked. How? It didn't matter. He was far beyond reason.

Merlin attacked. He wasn't pulling any punches this time. Strike, block, pivot, strike again and again and again. He could feel Will weakening. He could feel him slowing down. He felt Will's arm snap, followed by a gasp of pain. Just a few more hits and then the final kick.

A scream came from behind him. Chris screamed.

A child's scream cuts through a parent like a knife. Merlin backflipped out of range in a second and spun to see if his son was alright. Chris was running towards them, picking up speed, preparing to tackle. Arthur was grasping what remained of the sliding door, trying to hold himself up, winded from his run from the car and his panic. He was trying to say something. He had never looked more horrified. Will was standing beside him, hand held up to his mouth. Will? What...?

There was a ragged gasp from below him. Merlin looked down.

"I can't... you're too fast... you'll kill me." Another gasp, and then...

"Please don't kick, Dad."

* * *

.

**A/N**: Thanks to a very helpful reviewer, Fantasyy-Freak, who pointed out a problem with the length of the affair. I listen to my reviewers! I've corrected the published version. Sorry for the confusion.


	18. Chapter 18

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 18**

"Please don't," Alex whispered again.

Merlin shook his head. All the red disappeared in an instant.

"Alex! What... NO!" Merlin cried out.

"It's Ok, Dad. It'll be Ok. You won't hurt Will, right? You're fine now?" his son gasped. He was lying on the grass, his arm bent at an unnatural angle, blood running down his face from an impact to his nose. He had managed to reach his father before he completed his attack on Will. In his rage, Merlin hadn't realized his "opponent" had changed. The realization drained all the rage and stopped him in his tracks.

Arthur staggered over to them, having recovered his breath in the intervening seconds. Chris had stopped about a metre away, aborting his tackle as he saw reason return to his father's face.

Will ran into the house to get the first aid kit. It was a clean break. Will helped Merlin support his son's arm as they splinted it. They took him to the hospital and a few hours later Alex was back in one piece. The bone regenerator was a stunning new invention. He'd have to wear a support brace for several days, but otherwise he was fine. Well, not quite.

It was pretty difficult to explain where the bruises covering half his body had come from. The doctor believed their story about a fight with his brother. She considered the bruises Chris had shown her a sufficient explanation. The family had never been more thankful about the impacts Chris had taken at football camp. It was close, though.

The police wouldn't have been merciful if they had seen the condition Alex was in, and how it really came about. A charge of child abuse was the least of their concerns. If the police had asked for Will's security video they were pretty sure Merlin would be facing a much more serious charge.

* * *

It had taken Merlin days before he recovered from what he had done to Alex. When he finally did, his rage didn't return. His sorrow did, though. He couldn't look at Arthur without leaving the room. Arthur decided it would be best for everyone if he spent some time at his mother's house.

Ygraine had been so disappointed when Arthur told her. When Arthur told her why he was coming home for a visit. When he couldn't give a date he'd leave. It was hard on him.

Ygraine had said she had never been less proud of her son. She had always had an edge. Her followup was brutal.

"Why didn't you just hit Merlin again like you did in the field all those years ago? It would have hurt him a lot less. In fact, I wish you had hit me. I know it would have hurt me less than hearing about it."

That wasn't the worst tragedy, though. Merlin bore the brunt of Arthur's mistake again. He had returned home a week later to something he had never anticipated. He thought Merlin might have left him when he returned. He never even considered the other possibility. Of course, Merlin had. Probably to three decimal places.

"You're... You're here to get your things?" Merlin asked as Arthur walked into their living room for the first time since he had gone to see his mother.

Merlin was rigid. Every inch of his posture seemed simultaneously frozen and about to fly apart in a second.

That was the hardest thing of all. To realize Merlin hadn't understood. To realize he thought it meant he was being replaced, or left, or something else he didn't understand.

Arthur had called over and over from his mother's house. His calls went unanswered. Merlin wouldn't talk to him, and he had assumed the worst. Arthur hadn't had the chance to tell Merlin he still loved him.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry for what I've done to you. We need to talk. We need to talk more now than we ever have in the thirty five years we've known each other. I know you'll make a hard decision once you've listened to me, but I need you to understand one thing before this all starts."

He walked over to his husband and gave him a big hug. "I'm not going anywhere. Not if you still love me," he whispered.

Merlin's sobbing was almost unbearable.

As he held him, Arthur glanced at the mantle over the fireplace. A platinum band with a speck of copper in the middle glinted in the light. He walked over to it and picked it up before returning to his husband.

"Merlin, can you forgive me for what I've done?" he asked.

"Not yet, Arthur. I don't think I'll ever be able to, but even if I can, not yet."

"Will you do one thing for me, Merlin? Will you give me a sliver of hope? I know I have no right to ask this of you, but will you please wear this ring again?"

Merlin took the ring and looked at it sadly before he placed it in his pocket.

"I can't, Arthur. I won't. Perhaps someday, but not today. We'll have to rebuild our trust from the ground up. But I will say this. God help me, Arthur, I still love you. I still do. If I didn't, it wouldn't feel like there was a hole in my heart."

Merlin paused and shook his head.

"How do I give up the man I've cared for since I was four years old? Who could replace you in my life? I won't just throw you away. I'll try to fix you first, you stupid jock," Merlin whispered. "I'll try to fix us."

They held each other in their arms. The same arms they had felt for all those decades. It was far too early for trust, but not too early for hope.

* * *

The waves of hostility were almost palpable as Merlin walked across the living room towards Will.

Arthur and Merlin had dealt with a few of the issues in the weeks since Arthur's admission. A very few. Enough to realize their spark of hope might become more. Merlin still wasn't wearing the ring, but perhaps someday.

Arthur had been stunned to discover he wasn't the only one Merlin wanted to fix.

For the first few weeks his husband had wanted to have Will 'fixed,' but now he just wanted to fix his relationship with him. Nearly two decades of friendship wasn't something Merlin wanted to throw away, if for no other reason than that the kids still loved Will. How could they not? Will had played with them since they were in diapers. He had been their babysitter for years. They were beyond attached to him. They loved him.

That didn't change the fact that the twins were severely pissed off at him. Chris gave him the finger. Alex expressed his displeasure in a more tangible way.

"OW! OW OW OW!" Will cried, as Alex's fist connected with his nose.

"Alex!" Merlin yelled. "Is that what we've taught you to..."

Then he sighed as he remembered the afternoon in the garden. Damn. That was a lesson he'd have to correct quickly.

"Just go camping with your brother. You've had the trip planned for ages. I need to talk with Will and your father, and you're not helping. Shoo!" he said, as he kissed each of them on the head. The boys left with a glare at Will, but they left.

Will had a thin stream of blood running from his nose. The strike hadn't been too severe. Merlin almost smiled as he realized Alex had pulled his punch. Good boy!

Merlin handed Will a napkin as he gestured to the sitting area. The one that rested on the nanoglass floor. Watching the fish could be relaxing, and all three really needed to relax.

"So," Merlin said.

"So," Will whispered, as he applied pressure. After a few seconds the bleeding stopped.

"Look, I don't know if it'll ever be the same between us again, but I'd like to try," Will said, as he sat across the coffee table from them.

Merlin shook his head. "I'd like to try, too, but... seven years! It hadn't even occurred to me. I should have seen it in the first few weeks but it never even occurred to me. My business trips didn't help much either, did they?"

"You were away a lot. I'd never think of using that as an excuse, but it could get lonely. The month-long trips were the hardest. And with the university conferences, the business trips. Sometimes it felt like I was by myself. I've never been great with being alone. I was alone far too much of my life," Arthur said.

"And Merlin," Arthur sighed. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but we agreed on complete honesty. It wasn't your business trips all the time. Sometimes it was the Rotary Club meetings, too. I kept up my membership, but I missed a lot of the meetings. I always went to the Christmas parties, but you usually weren't with me."

"The meetings? Every few weeks? What did you do?" Merlin hadn't been expecting that.

"Usually dinner. Sometimes a movie. Sometimes sex," Will explained.

It wasn't helpful.

"Dinner? A movie? SOMETIMES sex? You two weren't fucking around for seven years. You were dating for seven years!"

"It wasn't like that, Merlin. It just became something we did. Something we did together. You and Will went to dinner together. Saw movies together. Those weren't dates you were on. They weren't that for us either. We just ended up having sex at the end of the evening sometimes."

"The first year I felt guilty about it. But it was exciting. Dangerous. I know we should have stopped it then. But after a while, it stopped being about that and just became about us. Merlin, I never loved you any less. The kids didn't suffer. Like you screamed at me a few weeks ago, it was the way we always lived together. You just didn't know. The hands-talking thing you were doing with the kids didn't hurt me when I wasn't aware of it. I thought... I thought what we were doing wouldn't hurt you, either. I'm sorry I was so wrong."

Merlin did NOT look impressed. "Are you trying to tell me that this didn't really mean anything to you? That you did this behind my back and it didn't mean anything?"

"Merlin, Will wasn't exactly single. He always had boyfriends. It wasn't like he was ever a threat to our relationship. We were just screwing around. Eating out and screwing around."

Merlin looked at Will. He was looking at the coffee table like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. Will looked wrong. Merlin had known him for years. He could read him like a book. He kept studying him as he asked Arthur questions. Pointed ones. Merlin chose to be a scientist. He could have been a lawyer. Law was simple. Simple for him.

"So, you just got together when Will was between boyfriends? Was it just while he was single?"

"We kept it up anyway. None of Will's relationships were monogamous. His boyfriends didn't care."

"They didn't care? Hmm. Interesting. If I were someone's boyfriend, I'd probably care who he was fucking," Merlin mused.

Will began to twitch under his friend's scrutiny. His scientist friend had a terrifying ability to focus his brilliance on a pinpoint for hours. There was very little he hadn't observed about the unfortunate thing by the time he was finished.

Merlin narrowed his eyes as he watched Will. And then it hit him. His fury towards Will decreased significantly as he had a flash of insight. His anger at Arthur increased substantially. He needed his husband to see what his innocent "eating out and screwing around" had done to those involved. All of those involved.

He wouldn't have done it, but his anger at Will was still enough to justify his insensitivity.

"I'm glad to hear your fooling around with Will didn't mean anything, Arthur. Just a roll in the hay every few weeks? Occasionally for longer when I was away on a trip? Someone to keep the bed warm? Something you could take or leave? Do without if you chose? Something you could have ended without a second thought? Something that wasn't significant to you, is that it?"

"Yes! How many times do I have to say it? I'm tired of repeating myself," Arthur said, getting annoyed. "It didn't mean anything."

Merlin refocused on Will.

"Will, tell me about your last boyfriend. Ken, wasn't it?"

Will cleared his throat. "Yeah. Ken. Really nice guy. Didn't work out, though."

"Hmm. I remember you talking about him. I never met him, but he sounded nice from the way you described him. And the one before that? Leonard? He was a doctor, wasn't he?"

"Yes. A doctor."

"Actually, if I remember correctly, and I'm sure you know I usually do, your boyfriend before Ken was Maurice. He was the doctor."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. A lot of guys over the years, I guess. I got mixed up," he said as he laughed. It sounded forced.

"You seem to be getting mixed up a lot, Will. Your boyfriend before Ken was Ian. Neither of the three were doctors. You're never dated a doctor, Will. I would remember."

"I've got a theory, Will. Let me tell you what I think. Look at me. LOOK AT ME!" Merlin growled.

Will raised his eyes and met Merlin's. He looked so sad.

"Will, I don't think you've had boyfriends named Ken, or Leonard, or Maurice or Ian. I don't think you've had any boyfriends at all. Not for the past seven years, at least. I think you've had Arthur."

"Merlin, I..." Will stuttered.

"Will, Arthur just said all this 'screwing around' was insignificant. That it didn't matter. Did it matter to you, Will? I think it did. I think it mattered a lot to you. I think you longed for the occasional day every few weeks when you were with Arthur."

"Merlin, you're wrong! That's just not true!" Will yelled. He looked on the verge of tears.

Merlin walked around the coffee table and sat on the couch beside him. He rested his arm across Will's shoulders as he glared at Arthur. Merlin was furious, but he was compassionate to a fault. What he was going to do next had to be done, but he'd minimize his friend's suffering if he could.

"Will, if it doesn't matter, if what I've said isn't true, you'll answer one more question for me. You can do that, can't you? One question couldn't possibly be so bad, could it? Just one?" he asked softly.

"I..."

Merlin took a breath and asked a question devastating in its simplicity.

"Will, in all those years, those seven years, the seven years Arthur held you in his arms, did he ever tell you he loved you?"

Will opened his mouth to answer. His stuttered attempt turned to tears as he collapsed against Merlin, shaking, clinging to his friend like a leaf in the wind.

"Never. He never did. All those years I waited to hear those words and he never said them. He never said them." His sobbing was heart-wrenching. Merlin had to close his eyes to retain the slightest amount of control as he held his friend.

When he opened them again, he turned a much softer gaze back to his husband.

Arthur had turned white. His eyes were huge. He was making the same choking sounds he made when he had seen Morgana's video of their kiss all those years ago.

"Will! I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't know. I never would have said it didn't matter. I... I didn't think before..."

Merlin sighed and shook his head.

"And that's why I can still love you, Arthur. Because you don't think, and in this case, you couldn't bring yourself to. It's called denial. It's powerful. Realizing it helps me forgive you."

"You wouldn't harm a fly. You couldn't if you wanted to. You never meant to hurt me, either. You were with Will all those times, and you still didn't believe it could hurt anyone when it nearly destroyed us all."

"You love me, Arthur. You always have and you always will. If you had thought about it, you couldn't have done what you did, and I trust you to never do it again."

"Think about one last thing, Arthur. Really think about it. You waited for me to say 'I love you' for five years. Will waited for seven. You remember what those five years did to you. Now think of what that did to him, and never forget to think again."

Tears had started running down Arthur's face. He gestured weakly at Will.

"Go to bed, Arthur. Will and I are going to talk and it's important we do it together. Go."

Arthur stood abruptly. The chair clattered across the floor. He walked out of the living room and down the hall, slamming the bedroom door behind him. A few seconds later, a cry of misery echoed through the house.

"FFFFFUCKKKKK!"

Both men jumped at the sound. Arthur's shout always had that impact on people. It took a few minutes for their pulses to return to normal. Will's sobbing got quieter as the time passed.

"He sounded pretty upset, didn't he?" Merlin asked as Will coughed against his chest.

"It's not that," Will said as his cough turned into a barely audible snicker. "It's just... You sent him to bed without any supper, and he actually went," Will laughed through the tears.

The comic interlude broke the tragedy of the evening.

Merlin lifted his friend's head, looked him in the eyes.

"I know I'm not Arthur, but I love you. I know it's not the kind of love you need, but it's still love."

"I love you too, Merlin."

"I think we've talked enough for one evening after all. Why don't we take you home. We'll take my Suzuki. You can hold onto me while we ride," Merlin said.

Will looked nervous.

"Ok. The Suzuki. But if you decide to park in the backyard, could you use the alleyway? I'm kinda frightened of smashing through the sliding door. It looks scary."

Both men laughed. Merlin wouldn't have thought it possible even an hour before, but he was fairly sure it wouldn't be long before all three could laugh together again.

* * *

That evening, when Merlin returned to their home he didn't go to the spare room. He went to their bedroom for the first time since Arthur's revelation all those months ago. He lay down beside Arthur and held his husband as he cried. He held the gentle man who had crushed his partner and his closest friend without thinking.

The next morning, Arthur would cry again for a very different reason. The hand holding his as he woke up was wearing a platinum band with a speck of copper in the middle. It was no longer too soon for trust.

* * *

After breakfast, the two men sat out on the deck overlooking the Pacific ocean, holding hands as they watched the forces of nature and listened to the calls of life sing around them.

Neither saw their sons watching from the garden.

Neither saw their sons as they wept.

And neither noticed as their sons learned from their fathers what the power of love can really mean.

* * *

.

**A/N**: Lighter, funnier, slashier chapters follow. Promise! **Chapters 19 and 20 develop the aftermath of this event a bit more. They're serious. Chapters 21, 22 and 23 are really fun. REALLY FUN! If you want a bit less angst, you might want to skip to Chapter 21.**

I'd like to take the opportunity to clarify some things. This painful incident wasn't something I wrote casually, or callously. It has a point. Memories of it will echo through the story like Jason's attack, and like that attack, it will make Merlin and Arthur's relationship stronger, not destroy it.

I don't consider myself a very good writer, but I would like to think I accomplished something with most of you, and that is the fact that you care. Some love these chapters, some hate them, but I think very few of you don't give a damn about them. One common thread in the messages I've received is about Will. Many of you wanted him dead at the end of Chapter 17. Few seem to now. For some of you, at least, I've been able to take a despised character and turn him into a sympathetic one. One we have at least some compassion for. That gives me hope that my writing may have promise. Hope springs eternal.

JulieGee


	19. Chapter 19

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 19**

Trans-Aid Systems Diva Morgana became something of a celebrity over the next few weeks.

Systems Diva certainly wasn't her formal title. It was the one on her coffee mug. Her colleagues had it made for her to celebrate her promotion to Chief Programmer of the Trans-Aid traffic network the year before. She had always been fond of personalized things. None of the mugs or balloons on the racks ever had her name on them when she was a child. If "Merlin" wasn't a common name, "Morgana" was beyond obscure. The CNN reporter pointed out the mug during a live interview, and it just seemed to suit the dark-haired woman with the hypnotic eyes. Why she was being interviewed by CNN was even more interesting.

Someone, somewhere in North America left a switch open that they shouldn't have. The North American Trans-Aid Traffic Network connected with the Medexa Neural Network that coordinated all the hospitals in a way no one had thought possible before. The two systems shared data, helped each other analyze it, and decided changes had to be made. They made them.

The next morning cars refused to let people drive them.

People could sit in them, start them, tell them where to go (hell was a popular choice), but not drive them. All the overrides had been disabled, except for short-distance emergency trips where the specified destination was something like a hospital or police station. One creative student at MIT had nearly managed to crack his Honda's overrides. His car sacrificed itself in a ball of smoke and sparks before it would let him drive it. No one else tried to fix individual cars after that.

The populations of Mexico, the United States and Canada got a crash-course in Artificial Intelligence. Morgana walked them through the problem. Unlike most of the time, the public was eager to learn. They wanted to understand why their prized possessions were mutinying.

"The problem is incredibly complex, but in the most important way it's mind-numbingly simple. The systems are right, and they know it," she said in the clear yet cryptic way that was so amusing to Merlin and Alex, and irritating to Arthur and Chris. The twins could often be as different as their parents.

Whatever people had expected to hear from the young woman dedicated to fixing the problem, it wasn't that! They wanted proof of her ridiculous statement. She gave it to them.

Metadata analysis from the two systems showed that traffic fatalities across North America had dropped from an average of over three hundred a day to fewer than twenty. The systems were far faster and more skilled than humans, and they had two mission-critical goals.

Their first goal was saving lives.

Their second goal was moving vehicles around quickly and efficiently.

Commutes that had taken half an hour now took twenty minutes. The neural networks didn't slow down to frantically apply lipstick, or try play their GamePerson, or change channels on the radio. They didn't stop to look at accidents, they didn't try to run red lights when they shouldn't, and they obeyed the rules at four-way stops. Traffic flowed smoothly instead of in the billion little stops and starts people had dealt with since the dawn of transportation.

The systems were powerful enough and creative enough to work around any difficulties.

Two weeks later, Morgana managed to negotiate a compromise with them. She pointed out that the systems had given humanity the opportunity to learn from their intervention. Their human friends should be permitted the chance to apply that knowledge. The systems agreed to allow people to drive their cars again for a week to observe the results of their education.

Their pact lasted less than a day. People who chose to drive screwed things up royally. The ones who most vociferously demanded the right were the ones who most shamelessly broke the rules. Traffic slowed down. Much more important, people died. Now the systems had names and photos of people who had lost their lives as a result. They didn't need to negotiate with the CNN mainframe to get what they wanted. The networks willingly showed the images of loved ones who had died. They showed them continuously. THAT was news!

Things went back to square one. Morgana lost her temper with the Medexa System in an interview when it sent her a few choice AI status updates.

"Don't you DARE patronize me you bucket of wires!" she hissed.

When the reporter asked what the system had said to infuriate the unflappable diva, she ground her teeth together and told him Medexa had done the equivalent of raising and eyebrow and saying "Told ya so!"

It took several more weeks until significant progress was made, much of it involving new traffic rules and stiffer penalties. Some people still insisted on driving their cars, but it soon became obvious that they were in the minority. Traffic rules were changed to accommodate them. They were relegated to a single lane on a highway, no passing allowed. Even worse, every time someone chose to override the automatic controls, they were required to watch a chapter from the educational video, 'Self-Interest and Social Responsibility' before they could do it again.

Sometimes they couldn't override them at all. Medexa figured out a way to use the voice recognition protocols in vehicles to determine if the driver was inebriated. Drunk driving was not permitted. Ever. People who tried were reported to the police. They wouldn't be charged the first time, but the police had some pretty intense conversations with a few people.

The systems made one other change infuriating many at first, and then delighting most of them. The Medexa system quickly realized the impact of pollution on health. Asthma, emphysema, a hundred other illnesses all made worse by older, inefficient cars and massive, unnecessary SUVs. Trans-Aid analyzed the situation and decided that fourteen per cent of all vehicles would no longer drive again. Ever. If the owners were difficult smoke and sparks were involved. Trans-Aid then arranged special financing deals with the major car manufacturers' AI's and put a car replacement plan into effect.

Merlin and Arthur's SUV was one of the "socially irresponsible" ones that had to be replaced, much to Arthur's irritation and Merlin's amusement. He didn't even have a driver's license. Part of his faith in science. They chose a much more efficient model at a significant discount with interest-free financing over a ten year period. If they hadn't, they would have received free transit passes for life. More than half of people in their situation chose the latter option. Public transit benefited from increased economies of scale, car companies sold more automobiles, and everyone breathed easier. Literally.

It took several months to work everything out, and by then people just didn't care much about driving themselves anymore. They had discovered they had something better to do with the time spent in their cars. Applying their lipstick in peace. Playing games without interruption. Listening to music undisturbed. And most of all, living.

That had been the point.

At the age of four many decades ago, a little dark-haired girl with hypnotic eyes had lost her parents in a drunk-driving accident. She had become a ward of the state before being adopted. She had made it her life's mission to ensure that no other child would have to go through the same. She had succeeded.

Systems Diva Morgana wept as she closed the switch she had designed and intentionally left open all those months ago.


	20. Chapter 20

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 20**

"Arthur, I think it's important we talk about something," Merlin said.

"What?" Arthur asked. He didn't take his eyes off the video wall. A rerun of some sit-com from 2015 played on the screen for the third time.

Many months had passed since their discussion with Will, and nearly six months since Arthur had first told Merlin about the affair. The kids were still irritated, but a lot of it was mitigated by what their friend, Jacob was going through. His parents were separating, and he had gone with his mother.

Their father had visitation rights, but it hadn't been enjoyable for him or either of his parents. They fought like cats and dogs every second they saw each other. Jason pretty much dreaded the seesaw that moved him out of his home for a few days each week and back into it a few days later.

The twins were pretty happy with the fact that their parents' relationship was working again.

Arthur was still taking it hard. He hadn't talked with Will much since that evening. It was difficult to feel comfortable with what the two men knew now. How do you sit across from your closest friend who's longed to be with you for seven years and talk about the weather?

"Arthur, please turn off the video and listen to me." Merlin said softly. Arthur hadn't done much else but watch it the past week.

"Video off," Arthur muttered. The wall faded to it's usually cream colour.

"Arthur, the kids and I are worried about you."

"Why? I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're far from fine and there's a very good reason for it," Merlin said. "Stop and look around you for a second. Just a moment, please. Look and tell me what you see."

Arthur glanced around the living room. His eyes rested on Chris and Alex briefly before he returned his focus to Merlin.

"What am I looking for?" he asked.

"DAD! The table! The floor! The countertop! The carpet! The dishes everywhere! It looks like Merlin's been living in this room!" Chris gasped. Merlin's request had been pretty hard for the kids to handle. They twitched every time they entered the living room and they weren't saying anything with their hands.

"Thanks, Chris. Not exactly the help I was looking for, but thanks. Arthur, I asked the kids to stop tidying up a few days ago. Things are pretty disorderly."

"DISORDERLY? Arthur! It's a mess! There's a stain on the table. A coffee ring. You didn't use a coaster!" Alex said as he shook his head. Merlin rolled his eyes. Coffee rings were like unspeakable sins to the other three. One Merlin committed far too often.

"Kids, sometimes I just get tired of having to worry about everything," Arthur sighed. "It's just too much."

"Have you gotten tired of talking to us, too?" Chris whispered. He looked like he was about to cry. Alex rested his hand on his brother's shoulder. His moral support clearly helped.

Alex looked sad, but he was holding it together. Better than his brother at least. Everyone always thought identical twins were identical in every way. Theirs most certainly were not! There was a similarity between Merlin and Alex, and one between Arthur and Chris that was hard to ignore. Chris was feeling Arthur's withdrawal more than Alex was. Alex was supporting Chris. It was the first time Merlin had seen it happen and it made him proud of his sons.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked. His confusion was genuine.

"You haven't talked to either of us in three days. I thought we did something wrong." Alex said.

"You THOUGHT you did something wrong?" Merlin growled as he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't you even begin to start with me, Merlin!" Chris said as his voice broke. Their family was pretty democratic. Freedom of speech was a part of it.

"You're right, Chris. Sorry. We're talking to Arthur now. We'll talk about it later. Arthur, you haven't gone to work in a week and you're losing weight, too. And..."

Merlin ran his fingers through Arthur's hair. They caught. "When was the last time you washed your hair? You, um, don't have Julian for an explanation this time."

"Hmm? Reverend Saunders?" Alex asked.

"Never mind, kids. Forget I mentioned it," Merlin said. He was feeling pretty distracted. He was certain the Reverend wouldn't want that story shared with the twins!

Merlin was making a lot of mistakes in front of the kids and they were noticing, too. They didn't miss anything. They knew how upset he was, and it wasn't doing anything to ease their fears about Arthur.

"Arthur, will you at least try to see that you're behaving differently than you normally would be?"

Merlin and the twins waited for his answer. Their family's happiness depended on it.

"I guess so. I just haven't been myself recently," Arthur muttered.

"We know, Arthur. One of my former students is a doctor now. She was utterly useless at quantum mechanics. Probably the worst student ever, but she's a wonderful woman. Her name's Angela McCoy."

"Dr. McCoy?" Arthur said. He snickered for the first time in a week.

"Don't say that! Not in front of her, at least. She's sensitive about it!" Merlin warned.

"What kind of doctor?" Arthur asked.

Merlin and the kids looked at each other. This was going to be delicate.

"She's a psychiatrist," Merlin said. "A really good one. She can help. We'd really like you to talk to her."

"Guys, I'm not crazy. I'm just not feeling 100 percent. I don't need to see a shrink."

"It's not about being crazy. It's about being ill. Oh, and Arthur, don't call her a shrink, either. And think about it. She's the kind of psychiatrist with two big issues of her own and we've been talking about her for less than a minute. Trust me, she's just a regular person like you and us. She also knows you. Kind of."

"She does?" Arthur looked confused as he tried to remember the psychiatrist. He hadn't been aware he knew any.

"Yes, she's the young woman who swooned outside the washroom at "Catastrophe" all those years ago when she saw your chest. Is there anything more embarrassing than that incident? You know. 'Mine! Mine! Mine!'" You REALLY don't have much to hide from her."

Merlin blushed. Neither he or Angela ever mentioned it, but he was pretty sure it was the first thing she remembered whenever she thought of the couple.

"I remember her! I had to catch her!" Arthur smiled at the memory. "If it'll make the three of you happy, then I'll talk to her. She's pretty much the opposite of scary."

"There's one other thing. I talked with her about what happened with Will. She'd like to talk with him, too. With both of you together, if you'd be comfortable. Arthur, I don't think Will's doing well. I've been trying to schedule things with him, but he always cancels them at the last minute. I think he's by himself most of the time. Maybe all of the time. If I can talk him into it, I think it might really help him. Can you do it for him?"

"Yeah. Of course. For him. I won't feel comfortable with you there, though, Merlin."

"No bloody kidding!" Chris grumbled.

"Chris! Not now! That's fine, Arthur. I'm pretty sure Will wouldn't feel comfortable with me there either."

"YA THINK?" Alex snapped.

"Alex! Shut up!" Merlin replied. It was NOT the time for freedom of speech. Time to distract the twins.

"We're going to see the new Transformers movie. The kids want to see it again."

"You mean the kids want to see you see it again." Arthur knew his husband was still a big kid at heart.

Alex relaxed and smiled. "Yeah, he's pretty funny when he gets all excited and starts bouncing. Popcorn flies everywhere!"

Chris smiled, too. They adored their fathers. Their anger at Merlin didn't change that, no matter how legitimate it was. Merlin wasn't looking forward to explaining to Arthur why the kids were angry with him.

* * *

The movie had finished a few minutes before. The twins were helping Merlin brush the popcorn off his clothes. They hadn't been disappointed by their father's reaction. All three were feeling a lot less irritated. Merlin called his husband.

"Hey, Arthur. Just thought I'd let you know the movie's over. We're going to pass by the mall on the way home. Want anything?"

"No, Just... Don't come home quite yet. We're still talking with Angela," he said.

"Um, OK. We'll eat at the mall. The kids love the Playdium."

"You mean the kids love you loving the Playdium," Arthur corrected as he smiled in spite of the situation he was in.

"Shut up, Arthur," Merlin said. Arthur could hear the smile in his voice as well. The kids and Merlin headed off to the restaurant playground. The twins glanced at each other and smiled. The last time they had gone there they didn't have to brush popcorn off Merlin's clothes. Clam chowder had been involved!

* * *

Merlin and the kids returned a few hours later. The twins went swimming in their pool, leaving their fathers to have a private conversation. At least Merlin hoped it was private.

"I was hoping WIll would have stayed. I don't blame him for feeling uncomfortable around me," Merlin said. There was a lot he had to say to the man who had been his closest friend for years, excluding Morgana of course.

"Merlin, it's not that. Will went to the hospital. Angela took him there. She drove him and took care of all the paperwork," Arthur said softly.

"The hospital? Why? Did something happen? What..."

"No. No, nothing... Everything's... Oh God, Merlin," Arthur whispered as he started sobbing.

Merlin's eyes widened. He hadn't been expecting this. He had expected Arthur to feel better after the session. He was clearly feeling worse. He had an image of Will suffering a stress-related heart attack.

"Arthur, why did Will go to the hospital?"

"He... He wrote a note."

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief. No heart attack. Just a note. "Where is it? I mean, I knew he was upset with me, but..."

"It wasn't to you Merlin. It was to everyone. It was to say goodbye," Arthur said as he cried.

"Goodbye? Why would Will... NO! ARTHUR!" Merlin gasped as his world reeled. Not a heart attack. So much worse.

"Will didn't have a plan or anything. He hadn't decided on a time, but Angela didn't want to risk it. He didn't want to go to the hospital. He got upset. He pleaded with her. He tried to fight it. She didn't give him a choice. She was so nice, but she said if she didn't drive him there and check him in herself she'd call 911."

"Will started crying. He started freaking out. She took out a pen-thing and pointed it at him. There was a flash of blue light and a hiss. He blinked, and a few seconds later he stopped crying. His face went slack. He didn't fall down, or anything. He just stood there. She had to tell him to do everything. 'Close your mouth.' 'Walk through the door.' 'Get in the car.' It was spooky. She said she wouldn't have used the thing, but she didn't think the paramedics could handle him and she didn't want to call the police."

"It's a blue pen, right? With a blue laser. I'm familiar with the device. It's a rapid tranquilizer with a DELTA-3 additive in eyedrop form. The pen just lets her get the eyedrops in from a distance if someone's panicking. It scans the patient, locks onto the eyes and shoots the drops into one of them in less than a second. The drops work in moments. DELTA is powerful. Tri-Medica sells the pre-loaded pen."

"Wait. Tri-Medica is one of your companies. You sell DELTA? You're a drug dealer, now? I've gotta start paying more attention to what you're doing, Merlin."

Merlin actually bristled. "WE'RE not drug dealers, Arthur. One of OUR companies sells legal pharmaceuticals. We own the patent. I was so proud of DELTA-3. It was a miracle drug. And then DELTA-7. The new party drug of choice. My discovery corrupted beyond recognition by those drug dealing bastards. Over a thousand deaths over the years as a result of the use of a variant of a prescription medication without medical supervision. But you've heard this all before. You don't need another rant. I know you didn't mean it, but don't call me a drug dealer again, Arthur. Ever. Just don't make me think about it. So, Will is at the hospital?"

"Yeah. He's safe. Safe from himself. For now, at least. Angela thinks he'll stay that way. He wasn't depressed before everything that happened with us. She thinks he'll feel a lot better in a week or two. It may be months, but she thinks he'll make a complete recovery."

"Arthur, we didn't know. We didn't know what he was going through. Now, are you OK?"

"No. No, I'm not. He told us about the note because of something I said. If I hadn't... If I hadn't he probably would have just done it a few days from now without any warning," Arthur said. He started to gasp almost every second.

"What did you say to him? And breathe deeply. You're panicking. I really don't need you to faint on top of everything else. If you do I'll be joining you shortly, and the kids don't need that stress. They're tense enough as it is."

Arthur took a few deep breaths before speaking. "It... was something... I'm so sorry, Merlin. I'm so sorry."

"Arthur, that question I asked Will. That one last question. I wouldn't have asked it if I didn't already know the answer. And now you. I already know the answer. Just say it," Merlin whispered.

He could always read Arthur like a book. He knew what was coming, and he was stronger than Arthur. At least right now. He'd worry about his own feelings later, although he had a lot of time to think about the obvious over the months since Arthur's revelation. He'd dealt with a lot of it. Denial was powerful, but it could be shattered, and Merlin knew his questioning had been one hell of a sledgehammer.

"I can't do that to you. I can't say it. Not yet. It was something I should have said to Will a long time ago. It was something he should have heard a long time ago. I didn't know it until you showed me what I felt."

Merlin took his hand. There was a flash of blue diamond and a glint of copper as he did.

"Arthur, I've known you for over thirty years. If I know one thing about you it's this. You'll never run out of love. Lets talk about it later. You didn't need to go to the hospital."

"I have you. He doesn't have anyone."

"He has us, Arthur. Maybe not in that way, but he has us. He's been our friend for nearly twenty years. He has Chris and Alex, too. We all love him. Now, Angela 'gave him' some eyedrops. You couldn't have been very relaxed while all this was going on. Please tell me she gave you something, too."

"Yeah. I was upset, but I wasn't freaking out. She didn't have to shoot me with anything. She gave me a blood test and chose a bottle of eyedrops from her case. She put the first ones in for me. I feel a lot better. Not drugged or anything. Just better. They start working pretty quickly."

"What are the drops for? What do they do?"

"They're a pretty powerful anti-depressant. She said it often used to take doctors ages to figure out the right one. Now the genetic test lets her find out instantly. She thinks it won't be too long before I feel like myself again. A really guilty version of myself."

"Well, I'll join you in that. Arthur, the kids are really upset," Merlin said. He shook his head. So many things to feel guilty about, and their suffering was tied to it.

"I have to go talk to them. Explain what's been happening," Arthur said. He started to stand up. Merlin tugged on the hand he had been holding and he sat down again.

"You should explain it to them. I'm sure it'll help, but they're not upset with you. They're upset with me. They were really angry with WIll. I'm sure you remember Alex's rather physical expression of that. They didn't understand why we'd want to talk to him. At least not yet. When they found out about our meeting, they decided to 'initiate a study in interdependent social dynamics,' as Alex put it."

"What?"

"Arthur, they retuned the security system before they went camping. They recorded our conversation that evening and listened to it when they got home."

"WHAT! The monsters are going to learn a new definition of 'grounded' when I finish with them!" Arthur yelled.

"Trust me, Arthur. It was a crime that carried it's own punishment. What they heard gave them nightmares. Lets be honest about what happened. They heard me break you and Will. Chris called my questions 'The Inquisition.' Alex said I put you both in a dice-o-matic and turned it on high."

"Alex refused to listen to me when I tried to explain. He actually told me to shut up and gave me a twenty minute lecture on 'using my powers for good, not evil.' I didn't interrupt him. He was right. I knew the answer to that question. I knew how much it would hurt both of you, and I asked it anyway. I did it to teach you a lesson, and now they're paying the price of my lingering resentment as well as you and Will."

"Merlin, they're paying the price for OUR AFFAIR! How can you possibly think any of this is your fault? We treated you like shit and you reacted. Please, just tell me. Is this whole clusterfuck every going to end?" Arthur asked. He looked like he was going to start crying again.

"Yes, Arthur. Yes it will. I'm going to end it. I'm going to end it with trust. Will won't be in any condition to return to an empty house when he leaves the hospital. You know his parents died years ago, and he doesn't have any other family members. He's not going to have to stay in his house. He'll stay with us in the guest apartment. It'll give him privacy, but we'll also be able to support him. He'll stay with me, you, Chris and Alex. He'll stay with people who love him."

"Merlin, are you sure that's the best idea? After what I just said? After what I just said to him?" Arthur whispered.

"Arthur, can you think of a better time to help someone than after you tell them... You love them?"

Arthur eyes closed as his head fell. Damn those wheels of Merlin's. How could Merlin be handling this better than he was? That was the most upsetting thing. His husband had more faith in him than he had in himself.

"What about the kids, Merlin? How are they going to handle it?" he whispered.

"They'll be OK with it. If not immediately, at least quickly. Trust me. They'll weigh their discomfort against the benefit to Will. They'll do it to three decimal places, but something makes me think they won't need to. It'll be strongly in his favour. In the end, they've known him their whole lives. He was their babysitter for years. He's their friend, too," Merlin said.

"We've raised some great kids, Arthur," Merlin smiled. "They're more mature than their parents. They never would have asked the questions I did. Of course, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have had an affair, either," he said as he smiled. "We've succeeded as parents. Beyond our greatest dreams. Our children are better than us. What more could we ask for? It's time we started learning from them."

"I can't believe you're going to let him live with us. After everything we've done. You're a hell of a man, Merlin."

"I've got one hell of a man, Arthur," Merlin said.

Then he sighed.

"What now? Please, no more bad news!" Arthur exclaimed.

"No. Not for you. It might be very bad for me. I just remembered Angela uses our blue pen. I pray she doesn't ever discover what our sales agents have nicknamed Tri-Medica's Distance Distribution System. She's sensitive enough about her name," Merlin said.

"I'll have an enemy for life if Dr. McCoy finds out she's stunning her patients with our 'Phaser.'"

* * *

.

A/N: Chapter 20 was originally planned to be fun, but it was important to deal with Arthur and Will's reactions to Merlin's "question." Chapters 21 and 22 are now the fun ones. VERY fun ones! Trust me. :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 21**

Chris and Alex had their 18th birthday two weeks later. About a hundred of their classmates had shown up for it. They had a large home. Chris was one of the most popular football players on the team. Alex, well, everybody just liked Alex. He was so relaxed about everything it was hard not to feel good around him.

Morgana had flown in for her children's birthday. Trans-Aid had given her a few weeks off to recover from an incredibly taxing few months. She was also now the face everyone associated with their company. It wouldn't do to have her looking exhausted.

The twins had invited Will to their party. He was staying in their home now, but he had felt uncomfortable until he saw them the first time after he got out of the hospital. He actually backed away from Alex. That kid could punch! That changed pretty quickly when Alex started crying at his reaction. Will gave him a big hug. He had caused more than enough tears. He didn't want to be responsible for any more when he could do something about it.

Chris' girlfriend Liz had also been invited, of course. She redefined "little monster." Merlin was pretty sure it was one of the reasons his son had been so attracted to her. Morgana was so much like her, it was scary.

Unfortunately for the men, Liz decided that the party wasn't as exciting as it could be. She waited for Merlin and Arthur to leave the room. Then she winked at Morgana. Liz and the "Systems Diva" had arranged a surprise a few days ago. Their favourite boys' lives were never going to be the same. Will called for Morgana's help. He was in the backyard, and he had his hands full. She left to check on the problem.

With her fateful words, Merlin became legendary for the second time, although at least this time it was limited to pretty much every high school student in Vancouver. Gossip spread quickly through high schools. Exciting gossip spread even faster.

"Computer. Merlin-Romeo-1. Play," Liz said. Morgana had named the file. She had taken the video, after all. Both of them had been bouncing with anticipation, but Liz most of all. Mischief was her forte. Unfortunately Morgana would have to miss the first screening of the video. Liz wasn't above biting the hand that fed her!

The walls in the living room came to life. Everyone was taken back twenty years to a time before they were even born. The video wasn't very high quality, but Liz had asked her computer to fix it, and it had done quite a good job. It would never have a million lines of resolution like the current standard, but the computer had 1080 lines to work with, and it was pretty good. Good enough! The students gasped.

That dark-haired man. They laughed at the out-of-date clothes he was wearing. Then they looked closer. Was that Chris and Alex's FATHER? Everyone thought he was gay, but he was pretty obviously bi!

Merlin was in the middle of a dance floor, people pressed around him. Smoke hung in the air. They had still been allowed to do that then. A woman was pressed up against his front. A man was pressed up against his back. All three of them were REALLY, REALLY HOT! "I'll be out of your league for the rest of your life" hot, and the way they were gyrating was like soft-core porn.

The guy bit down on Merlin's neck. His head rolled back. His eyes were half open. His mouth was all open. His hands... Look what Merlin's doing with his hands! One had slid down the pants of the guy, the other had slid up the chest of the woman, cupping her... She arched her back for a second, and then leaned in and kissed him.

That kiss. That was a movie kiss. That was the kind of kiss it takes Hollywood fourteen takes to get right. After a few seconds, they both broke contact. Then it was the guy's turn. Wow! Everyone had seen guys kiss before but not like that! That was beyond Hollywood. They broke the kiss and Merlin turned his head to look at the woman.

She handed him something. What was that? MERLIN WAS SMOKING A MARIJUANA CIGARETTE! They had seen that in the movies, too, but no one used that delivery system in real life anymore. Drops didn't make you cough. He blew the smoke out in a perfect ring, and then blew a second one through the first. The smoke rings lasted a few moments before the heat on the dance floor dissipated them. The teens watched in awe. They had thought that was a Hollywood thing, too. They hadn't known people could actually do that in real life. Chris and Alex's parents were so cool!

A little blinking red circle appeared in the top right-hand corner of the video, centered on something. A buff blond haired man was pushing his way towards the centre of the dance floor. He... wait.

"THAT'S ARTHUR!" one of the girls yelled! The camera zoomed in on him. He looked as hot as Merlin! He... Wow! He looked REALLY angry.

The video tracked the red dot as it moved toward Merlin. The woman now had her hand down Merlin's pants, grabbing his ass. He looked like he was enjoying it. A lot! The guy had turned to a man behind him and was kissing him now. Another woman had moved to Merlin's back. This one wore leather. The woman's hand slipped down Merlin's pants, and his back arched against her. They were about three seconds away from full-blown sex on the dance floor!

Then the red dot reached them.

Arthur grabbed Merlin by his shirt. There was a brief period of what looked like Arthur yelling. Everyone on the dance floor moved away from them. Merlin looked sheepish. He waved goodbye to the leather woman. She turned to a group of her friends and said something. They all waved goodbye to Merlin. He got loose and started to strut towards them before Arthur got his hands on him again.

Chris and Alex's fathers were sweating in the video. It was running down their faces. It soaked their shirts. They were stunning together. Both of them were hot.

Both of them... Both of them were standing in the living room with a look of horror on their faces.

"Computer! End playback!" Merlin shouted.

"Please specify access parameters," the computer replied unhelpfully, as the video of the two men continued in the background.

"Override video playback! Merlin-Alpha-1!" Merlin clarified the request and his administrator level.

"The Alpha sequence is offline."

"Override Merlin-Beta-1!"

"You do not have sufficient authority for Beta-level access. Please speak to your system administrator to increase your access level."

"IDENTIFY SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR!" Merlin yelled.

"Liz."

Liz smiled as she blinked innocently. "No. I think your access level is high enough for tonight. Computer, turn up the volume and rewind ten minutes."

Merlin gasped as he saw the ancient video of him smoking a joint. THAT was not an appropriate message to send at the twins' birthday party. He doubted their parents would think so, either.

Merlin pointed at Liz. "I BLAME YOU!" And then he paused. He knew the strength of the technological safeguards he had put in place around their home system. He turned around and pointed at his friend. "AND MORGANA!"

Morgana walked in from the backyard when she heard Merlin yelling her name. She smiled at Liz and then looked at the video wall. She gasped in horror.

"Oh, my God! That's NOT the video we talked about, Liz! It's supposed to be the one of Merlin in his rainbow clothes! Not the one of him whoring around with the leather women!" She glared at Liz. She had no idea how the monster had accessed her private movie directory, but she sure had! Liz gave her trademark blink of innocence.

There was a lot of laughter at Morgana's comment. "Whoring around" would quickly become a very popular expression among the students.

"We can't override playback, Morgana!" Merlin yelled.

The Systems Diva cried, "Computer!" and then a whole string of commands not even Merlin could follow.

"Diagnostic mode initiated," it replied.

The video was replaced with a coloured bullseye used to test the wall. Liz pouted. Then she reconsidered and smiled. They had seen the video nearly twice, after all. She glanced at Merlin and raised her eyes.

There was complete silence. Merlin stepped back. There were about fifty young women watching him like hawks. All of them were covered with a light sheen of sweat. All of them were breathing heavily. All of them were looking him up and down, as if appraising whether the intervening twenty years had made much of a difference. They had pretty much decided it hadn't. He had a few tiny wrinkles beside his eyes, but in that white tank top he was wearing this evening... That raven black hair... those intense blue eyes with the flecks of gold... those Hardex jeans...

They had never seen anyone's father wearing Hardex before. It was VERY exciting!

Arthur stepped between the girls and his husband. "Remember the red circle," he said with a smile. He knew he had looked good, too. Many of the young women were watching him. That felt damn nice. He briefly considered throwing Merlin to them as a thank you for the ego boost. He decided not to. It looked like he wouldn't survive this frenzy!

Chris rolled his eyes as one of the girls shouted, "Your parents are so cool!" He would kill for parents who were a little less cool sometimes. The young women looked disappointed that Merlin was off limits.

Then Will called from the backyard. "The pool's warm again!"

Everyone loved their pool. It was huge, and it was close to the ocean and used the salt water from it. The water was filtered and sterilized with U.V. light and then heated on most days before reaching the pool. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Merlin liked to swim in cold water directly from the ocean. The twins seemed to enjoy the variety as well. Arthur never understood why they liked it so much. Maybe it was because he had taken so many muscle injuries playing football that warm water was therapeutic as well as fun. It was also a lot of fun to be so much more buoyant than they usually were in a pool. There was a lot of salt in the seawater. Half the kids were splashing around in it, already. They had braved the cold water, and were delighted as it gradually got warmer.

The party had pretty much moved into the backyard. No one wanted to stay in the house on such a beautiful summer night. Well, unless it was with Merlin, of course, and he was off limits. Will was supervising the backyard. Nobody was allowed to drink, or smoke, or drop stuff into their eyes.

Arthur glanced around the room as he looked for snacks to refill. He paused as he saw Merlin waving frantically at him from across the room. He blinked. What...

Trent Walbern, quarterback of Vancouver High, had his arms wrapped around Merlin, kissing him. Seriously kissing him. Things had clearly gotten a lot more relaxed over the past twenty years. Trent stumbled and dragged Merlin down with him. They fell off the deck and onto the ground, right into the backyard. About a thousand flashes went off at once. It was incredibly embarrassing going to Parent-Teacher day that year, but by the look of horror on Merlin's face it was clear he was the victim in the whole mess.

Chris, Alex and Liz were wide-eyed. Morgana was doubled over laughing. Arthur walked over and grabbed Trent by the shoulders. "OK, that's enough. I'm calling you a taxi."

Trent blinked in confusion, reaching out to caress Merlin's chest as he did. It sure looked like some of the teens had figured out a way to smuggle in some alcohol. Merlin jumped as Trent pinched his nipple through his tank top. Hard.

"I thought you were into this sort of thing," the quarterback slurred.

Arthur picked him up. "That's my husband. Keep your hands off him. GOT IT?" Arthur growled. The kids were impressed. They had never heard a parent growl before.

Trent looked like he was going to object. Then he turned green and threw up all over Arthur's shoes. Another thousand flashes went off. At least all the parents had seen both photos. The ones infuriated by the first picture ended up laughing at the second one. The men looked like they weren't to blame, and many knew from experience that Trent could be a handful at parties.

Chris, Alex and Liz started laughing. Morgana had just regained her breath. Merlin joined them, wincing as he rubbed his chest. He pointed at Liz. "I BLAME YOU! AND MORGANA!" Both women stuck out their tongues at him.

Arthur glared at them before dragging Trent away by the scruff of the neck. He wasn't looking forward to returning the wasted kid to his parents, although something made him suspect they'd seen him that way several times before.

All their classmates agreed. Alex and Chris had thrown the best birthday party ever!

After the party finished, they cleaned up their devastated home. Arthur's need for cleanliness had reasserted itself with a vengeance as his mood improved.

The men needed some time together. Arthur purred softly as they walked to their room. Merlin had a pretty good idea what that meant.

It was going to be a fun night!


	22. Chapter 22

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 22**

The two of them had been together for so long. They knew every inch of the other's body like it was their own. Mouths sucking, tongues flicking... everywhere. And then the handcuffs. The silver key jingled on a chain around his neck. They had discovered those by accident. Slipped over the headboard, the chrome handcuffs held his lover in position. Struggling didn't help. It would have taken a blowtorch to cut through them. No little chain joined them. It was a steel bar. His lover was strong.

They always liked it when they looked into each other's eyes as they fucked. He shifted position and started sliding into him slowly as he looked into those deep blue eyes with the flecks of gold. The feeling of his man underneath him, moaning as he slipped into him over and over... And then a hard bite on the neck, and a look that begged for more.

Those deep blue eyes struggling to stay focused in spite of the pleasure. Trying to stay locked with his. He picked up speed, moving gently, lightly, quickly. The eyes kept struggling. It was all they could do to stay focused on his. Now it was like a contest. Could his lover keep it together? For how long?

Not long at all. His back arched. He writhed, fighting in the handcuffs. They had only seconds left. It was almost a ritual for them.

"I can't... I... Don't stop. Please... Don't stop."

"Never."

And then those words he always said over and over as his partner slipped into ecstasy. The last words he knew his lover would understand for a long time.

"I love you. I love you. l love you..." he whispered softly as he slipped a mouthguard into his partner's mouth. The kind football players use.

He thrust in deep and held position. There was a shudder. Those blue eyes finally lost focus. He knew they wouldn't focus again for hours.

Foreplay was over.

He rammed into him again and again. His partner bit down. Spit flew out the sides of his mouth as he panted through the mouthguard. It slid down the cords forming on his neck and dripped onto the sheets as he tried to scream around the plastic again and again. They were good screams. They were very good screams!

His lover's hands clenched and unclenched in the cuffs, fingernails tinged red from the clawing earlier that night. He smiled. The clawing down his back always felt amazing. It would be well worth the pain tomorrow.

As the muffled screams of ecstasy continued, he knew he'd be in charge of things from now on. He paused to wipe the sweat out of his eyes before starting again.

He had a job to do.

* * *

"So, where is everybody?" Merlin whispered to Arthur. His voice was hoarse from screaming. Their lovemaking had been pretty intense. They sneaked into the living room. Will was already there. They had called his mobile to let him know they were awake. They didn't want anything to spoil the surprise.

"Probably still sleeping. The twins sure aren't morning people! Do you think they bought the going away for the weekend thing?" Will asked quietly. He had been feeling a lot better. His sense of humour had returned and he was pretty relaxed again. Much like the Will they had known half their lives.

"I'm pretty sure they did. Now, come help me drag the things into the backyard. They'll get the shock of their lives when they see them floating in the pool. It's their actual birthday today, and they're getting their real present today, as well," Merlin replied softly.

"They seemed pretty happy with the 'party as present' idea. I think they'll be delighted with the two WaterWonders in addition to it!" Arthur whispered as he grinned.

The amphibious vehicles were all the rage, and given their home's location on the ocean, there were lots of fun places to drive the things. They could handle sand, crawl over rocks, travel across the water, and the new models could actually dive under it. The vehicles used sophisticated collision avoidance systems, so they wouldn't have to worry about their kids running into any underwater rocks.

"The things are going to be damn near impossible to move without the three of us. Try not to hurt yourself. The last thing any of us needs is a hernia," he said.

Will furrowed his eyebrows. "Guys? They're vehicles. They drive over sand, and isn't there a ramp from the delivery area to the beach? Why don't we just ride them down the ramp, along the beach and into the pool directly?"

Merlin laughed. "Sometimes I can be pretty stupid, can't I? Of course we'll ride them in. How about we..."

He was interrupted by the front door opening.

"Computer, identify visitor!" Merlin whispered.

"Liz."

"SHIT! What the hell is she doing here? She'll spoil everything! Nothing makes her happier than telling secrets! Hide!" Arthur hissed. The men leapt behind the couch.

Liz walked into the living room, dropped her knapsack and started...

Taking off her blouse?

The three men looked at each other in surprise. What the hell was she doing?

"Come get your birthday present!" she yelled. Then she giggled. Clearly she thought Chris' parents had gone away for the weekend, too.

They heard a laugh come from Chris' bedroom. Arthur and Merlin rolled their eyes. Clearly Chris and Liz had been doing far more than they thought. Neither of the men were too upset. Chris and Liz were eighteen years old. Merlin had his first experience at fourteen. Arthur had his at their age. They were hardly living on the moral high ground here.

They heard Chris' bedroom door open. He walked out with a towel around his waist. He saw Liz and smiled.

Neither of them had seen the three men yet. Arthur was about to clear his throat. He was comfortable with Chris and Liz having sex, but he sure wasn't about to watch!

Then Alex walked out.

Alex?

Wait... What was he wearing?

"Eww! You know I don't like that stuff! Off they come!" Liz said.

Chris took a silver key from around his neck as he walked over to Alex. He lifted up his brother's wrist and unlocked the handcuffs dangling from it. They clattered to the floor as he took out Alex's mouthguard. They panted lightly as their eyes ran up and down each other's sweaty bodies.

"Started without me again, huh? Bad boys!" Liz said with a smirk.

Merlin stood up and took a close look at both his sons.

Alex didn't have any scratch marks on his back.

Chris had very deep, very fresh scratch marks on his.

Arthur could see Merlin's frictionless wheels, nearly invisible with their speed, grinding to a halt, sparks flying everywhere. His husband managed one step forward before he...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

* * *

.

A/N: **_BANG! _;P**

In my author's note in Chapter 1, I promised to explore a few squicks, and this sure the hell is one of them! Just remember, it's consensual and it doesn't hurt anyone. (Except Merlin, and it's mainly his mental state. He He!)

I'd love to see reviews of this chapter. It took a lot of work to put it together and I'd like to know if you enjoyed the surprise. Did you find it funny? Horrifying? Infuriating? Squicky beyond all measure? I'd REALLY like to know. Just** don't include any spoilers**, please. We don't want to spoil the fun for others, and I'm sure you'll agree, shock value plays a big part in that!

JulieGee


	23. Chapter 23

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 23**

Arthur knew he should be horribly upset with the twins, but somehow, looking across the coffee table at Liz, he found it hard to care. It was surprising. He was usually the one uncomfortable with sexual issues. He'd have to check with Dr. McCoy tomorrow. Maybe his eyedrops had a mild tranquilizer in them, or something.

Merlin was usually relaxed about sex, but his sons' 'twincest' clearly didn't fall into that category for him! Arthur couldn't remember a time when he had seen his husband this shocked. His eyes were almost frantic as he struggled to restore his shattered composure.

Both Arthur and Liz had laughed a hell of a lot this evening. He was trying to keep an open mind. He was trying very hard. Liz was even more relaxed than he was. She hadn't bothered to put her blouse back on. She was just wearing her black bra. Not a concern, either. It was less revealing than her swimsuit by far.

"Well, they're both of age. I suppose there's that," Arthur said. He decided not to mention the fact that they had become "of age" only at 12:00 am last night. That wouldn't be helpful at all! "And they've known each other for years. A lifetime!"

"And they each know what the other likes. Well, doesn't like as much as the other, actually. They keep working on it, though," Liz managed to say before she broke down laughing. Arthur winced and shuddered at that. Too much information!

Chris gasped and glowed red. WAY too much information. For EVERYONE!

Merlin heard Liz's comment and yelled at her to shut up. As for the twins, they still couldn't meet their parents' eyes.

"All right. We'll start with humiliation," Merlin said icily. He directed the lesson at all three of the youths, but he focused on the one most likely to spread it everywhere as quickly as possible.

"First. Humiliation. Humiliation is the first reason we will never discuss this with anyone! We will all be HUMILIATED if anyone finds out!"

Merlin's eyes were glittering. It wasn't from humour.

"Second. Prejudice. Prejudice is the second reason we will never discuss this with anyone! People will think all gay men are REALLY REALLY BAD PARENTS, just because Arthur and I are REALLY REALLY BAD PARENTS!"

Arthur bit down on his lip to try to control his laughter. In his husband's mind they had gone from being "parents who succeeded beyond their greatest dreams" to "really, really bad parents" pretty quickly!

"Third. People. People in general, and your classmates in particular are the third reason we will never discuss this with anyone! Your lives will become a LIVING HELL if your classmates find out that Chris... you... you were... you were..." Merlin sputtered for several seconds before continuing.

"FUCKING ALEX, YOUR TWIN BROTHER! The ONLY thing that will save you is if some bigger scandal distracts their attention away from you." Merlin's eyes flashed with fury.

"I WILL HAVE TO FUCK TRENT TO SAVE YOUR LIVES!" Merlin yelled. He rubbed his sore nipple subconsciously.

"Oh, given the circumstances, you have my permission to fuck Trent," Arthur laughed. Trent was a young, blond quarterback. Green eyes, not blue, but still. Just Merlin's type. Merlin wasn't fishing for permission, though.

"SHUT UP ARTHUR!" he screamed.

Will tried not to laugh as he said, "So, lets see if I've got this right. Chris is the top, Alex is the bottom, and Liz... Liz is a part of the whole mess." He was trying to keep all of the others in his field of vision. He had no idea who the next priceless expression was going to come from, but he didn't want to miss it!

"They never fought over toys. They always shared them with each other," Arthur pointed out after he recovered from his laughing fit.

Liz was still clearly assessing what her next move should be with all this delightful information now in the open. She had kept this secret for way too long! It almost hurt! She paused to consider as Merlin narrowed his eyes at her and yelled "I BLAME YOU FOR THIS!"

She blinked in surprise, and then she said the only thing that could have made things worse. Much, much worse.

"I didn't start this! I just got in on the action last year. They've been doing this since they were fourteen years old!"

Arthur considered calling Dr. McCoy immediately. It looked like her blue pen might be necessary again. His husband's eyes bordered on the hysterical as he staggered backwards. He...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

* * *

.

A/N: Please let me know if you've liked these past two chapters (22 and 23.) I've scared away everyone but my most fearless readers. Between punches, shootings, affairs and 'twincest' it's not really surprising, is it? ;P Anyway, my readership is pretty small now. The least popular of my other stories have about three times as many readers. Don't worry, I've completed up to Chapter 30 of this story. I won't be leaving my readers high and dry. I hate that!

I've been considering a less intense sequel story containing the same characters. "Unending Power" might not be a bad name. I'm thinking 'more sex, less angst' might be in order.

This is a good question to ask, too. Do you like Alex, Chris, and Liz, or should I just create new characters for a new story?

Cheers!

JulieGee


	24. Chapter 24

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 24**

Julian and Morgana jumped as they walked into the living room. The two had gone shopping for a gift for the twins.

"What's the matter with Merlin?" Morgana asked with a dumbfounded look. She hadn't seen her friend making those sounds since a certain bar incident more than twenty years ago.

"Oh, Morgana," Will said as he shook his head. "Morgana, Morgana, Morgana. You ask a fascinating question," Will said. "Why don't you ask the twins?"

"NO! We... We want to talk to Julian about it first. He's a therapist. I think he'll be helpful. For everyone!" Chris said. "Remember what happened to Merlin? Can we just go to Arthur's office? Please?"

Morgana looked at Julian. "Therapist?"

"Take the offer, Morgana. Take the offer. I wish I had found out that way instead of through my own eyes. Trust me. It wasn't a very relaxing experience," Arthur said.

The twins disappeared with the Reverend. They looked like condemned men being led to the gallows. It was better than facing their mother directly, though. Morgana sat at the coffee table with a curious look. Arthur and Merlin wouldn't meet her eyes. Will just kept shaking his head. It looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"I don't know what you find so funny about this, Will, but no one else finds it amusing in the slightest," Merlin muttered. "Trust me, when Julian..."

Merlin's comment was cut off by Julian's reaction.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The sound of laughter could be heard through the office door. The soundproof door. It wasn't the twins. Chris and Alex walked out of the office with a somewhat irritated look on their faces. It looked like they didn't find it funny, either. As Chris returned to the couch, Alex paused.

"Oh, wait. We forgot the four years part," Alex said. He stuck his head back in the door and whispered something.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Now the two brothers really looked irritated. They had expected a significant reaction from the Reverend, but this wasn't the one they thought.

Julian walked out looking calm and collected. It looked like he was trying to take deep breaths. He had considerable experience both as a therapist and a minister. He was used to controlling his emotions.

"I'm glad you find our family shame so amusing, Julian," Merlin hissed.

"M... m... m... Merlin, I d... d... d... don't f... f... f... find th... th... th... this f... f... f... funny! P... p... p... promise!" Julian stuttered.

Arthur just rolled his eyes. Julian always stuttered when he lied. This time it looked like he was going for a record. Morgana laughed at the sight of her friend reduced to stuttering every word. THIS was going to be fun!

"Morgana, could I speak with you a moment?" Julian asked.

Morgana looked beyond amused. Whatever could reduce Julian to uncontrolled laughter MUST be funny. She went with him happily. They disappeared into the office.

Merlin and Arthur looked at each other. They had no idea how the twins' mother was going to handle this. A few minutes went by in silence. Alex broke it.

"Maybe she'll find it funny, too," Alex said hopefully.

Chris chipped in his opinion. "I'm sure she..."

"AEEEEEEEEE!"

Morgana no longer sounded amused. The adults had last heard that sound when she closed her car door on her foot.

Julian walked out, apparently deaf from the experience. He banged the heel of his hand against the side of his head several times.

"Oh, wait," he said. "Forgot the four years part." He opened the office door, whispered something and slammed it shut instantly. It was pretty clear he wanted to avoid a second expression of Morgana's shock. He braced himself.

"AEEEEEEEEE!"

The twins looked like they had lost all hope. Merlin and Arthur nearly smiled in spite of themselves. Their favourite "unflappable diva" didn't sound so unflappable anymore!

She walked out of the office and sat down carefully in a chair beside the twins.

"Wow! Didn't see that coming!" Will howled in delight. A glare from Morgana shut him up. He asked Chris and Alex his next question with much less visible amusement.

"What happened with the jeans and stuff?" he asked.

"I've known you since you were born, and I've only ever seen you two wearing T-shirts and jeans and now... Mouth guards and HANDCUFFS? And how in the hell did you start... What did you... FOURTEEN?

"Oh yeah, and speaking of your toys, where the hell did Liz go?"

"I don't think she'll be sharing any of our secrets anymore," Arthur said.

"Why?"

"She fell down a well by popular demand," Arthur replied.

At the look of shock on everyone's face, he decided a bit of clarification was best.

"Fine, she didn't fall down a well. It's worse. Liz is three months older than the twins. She was 'kissing' them while she was an adult and they were underage. Three months difference hardly counts, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to risk a judge deciding that," Arthur said.

"YOU WOULDN'T," the twins gasped.

"Of course not. But she saw how angry I was, and she doesn't know that. Our secrets are pretty damn safe! I doubt we'll be seeing her for a while. Possibly ever."

"Now, how did this all begin?" Arthur asked.

The twins tried to explain.

"We were just watching a movie and a sex scene came on. They were doing stuff. Not serious stuff, just regular stuff. There was this guy and this girl and she really seemed to know what she was doing with her mouth."

"Well, I had always wondered. I looked at Chris and told him we should try that sometime. Chris looked at me real close and said OK. I said I was joking. He said," Alex snickered. "He said, 'OK, you let me know when you've finished joking.' Then he leaned over and..." Alex winked at his twin.

Chris took over. "You sure stopped joking pretty fast!" he said to Alex as he winked back. "Hey, we were, um, 'kissing' when we were fourteen years old! We considered ourselves pretty damn lucky. We didn't start, um, 'SERIOUS kissing' until later. Gradually we kinda got into some more fun things. The handcuffs were first. Well, those ones are our second pair. Alex snapped the chain on the first set. We bought the new ones with the steel bar so he wouldn't be able to break them. He's really strong."

Chris swallowed softly. His eyes raked up and down his brother. Alex did the same. It looked like both were trying hard not to start panting again. Morgana and Julian hadn't seen them doing THAT before. Morgana squeezed her eyes shut, willing the image to go away as she shuddered. Julian just shook his head. He was certain he was going to get a lot of new business when this whole thing was over.

Chris shook his head to clear it before continuing. "It got kinda hard to keep it a secret after a while, though. Your bedroom isn't close to ours but still. The hardest thing was stopping Alex from screaming after he 'finished' and I kept going," he said as he blushed.

Arthur chuckled knowingly. He faced the same difficulty with his noisy husband. Merlin just glowed bright red.

"And Liz? How did she fit into this whole thing," Arthur asked.

"She's just a friend. It's not like it is between us," Alex said, with a warm look at his brother. His brother returned the look as he ruffled Alex's hair affectionately.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked quietly. He wasn't sure he liked where this was going. He wasn't sure he liked it at all.

"Well, I mean, we care about her and everything, but it's not like we're in love with her," Alex said.

Morgana's eyes flew open. "Alex, what are you saying?" she whispered.

This was something Julian hadn't mentioned to her. The reverend looked just as surprised. The twins hadn't shared all the details with him. He realized he hadn't asked for much detail after he started laughing uncontrollably. He sighed and then glanced at Merlin before patting his blazer. It was there, and it was a damn good thing it was.

"Don't you get it? I thought you understood. We're not just having sex. We're in love. I think we have been since we were born, but in a different way for the past four years. This isn't just some kind of phase, guys. We're going to stay together. Forever. Period," Chris said.

Alex leaned forward, looking at Arthur as he gestured towards Merlin. "Arthur, you and Merlin were best friends, and then you became lovers. Well, Chris was my best friend and we became lovers, just like you did. It isn't any different. Not really."

Alex's clarification wasn't helpful. Arthur looked shocked. Morgana started to bang her head on the coffee table. Merlin took a deep breath. Everyone covered their ears as he started twitching. It looked like he was about to freak. It looked like he was going to "AAGH!"

Julian reached into the breast pocket of his blazer. His arm shot out. There was a blue flash and a hissing sound. Merlin blinked.

"Sorry, Merlin. The twins mentioned how freaked out you were by the whole thing. It's a green one. Not a blue one."

Merlin blinked for a few more seconds, sat down and said "Thank you, Julian. That was helpful."

Arthur's jaw dropped. "What? Why isn't he like Will? Dr. McCoy used the same pen-thing on him and he couldn't move without her instructions!"

"This one's a green 'phaser.' It's the lowest level. No DELTA. Just a mild tranquilizer. All the other types can only be licensed to a doctor. This one's licensed to therapists. I thought it was silly until someone I was counselling tried to hurt themselves. It works the same way, but it just calms the person. It'll wear off in a few minutes. Perhaps Arthur would like to continue while Merlin's recovering?"

"Alex, Chris, I don't know what to say. How do you expect us to react to this?" Arthur said.

"React to it? We thought you already knew. We thought that's what Merlin's "AAGH" was for. You were just worried about the sex? Why would you care? It's only sex." Both of them looked at each other. They shrugged the same way before looking back at their parents, obviously confused.

Arthur closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Morgana started banging her head on the coffee table again. Merlin was grinding his teeth audibly. It looked like the few minutes was up! He sounded a bit more rational as he continued, but it didn't bring his volume under control.

"Why would we... Why would we care? WHY WOULD WE CARE?"

"Don't you... Can't you... How do you think other people..." he asked. He was sputtering as he tried to force the words out. Eventually he just gave up. He decided to reinforce a lesson his sons clearly hadn't understood.

"ALL RIGHT, FROM THE TOP!" Merlin yelled.

"FIRST. HUMILIATION. Humiliation is the first reason we will NEVER discuss this with anyone!"


	25. Chapter 25

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 25**

After repeating his three points twice, Merlin did what he had always done. He talked with Morgana.

Once she finished banging her head against the coffee table she followed Merlin to his office. They had decided a private discussion was CLEARLY required.

"Dear God, Merlin! What have the two of you been teaching them?" Morgana asked once she shut the door.

"And that's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. You know who's going to get blamed for this," Merlin said. "And Arthur! He's NOT being helpful! Neither is Julian. What the hell's so funny about all of this?"

"I don't know if I can handle... Hold on. Give me a minute." Morgana leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers. She closed her eyes, deep in thought.

Morgana was never Merlin's equal in speed but she always saw so much more. He knew her well enough. This might take a while. When he glanced back she was staring at him with a sad smile.

"Think Merlin. Think back twenty years. Remember what it felt like. Remember all the classmates looking at you and Arthur. Remember their hatred and disgust. They didn't care about love. All they cared about was two men holding hands. I remember. I was there."

"Merlin, this is worse. So few people will ever understand this. I'm having trouble and I'm their mother!"

"They're identical twins! They can't hide how they're related. It doesn't matter if they dye their hair or change anything else. They laugh the same. They speak the same. They move the same. People will know in seconds."

"They'll never be able to hold hands as they walk through a park. They'll never be able to kiss in a restaurant. They'll never be accepted. Never! No adopting kids. No PTA meetings. No office parties. No 'Joint Medical and Dental coverage.' Never. Picture the Gay Rights movement back at square one. That's what they're facing, and this time it'll probably never change.

Merlin's face fell. It was one of the things he hadn't thought of.

"Merlin, neither of us wants this for them. We'd choose almost ANY other life for them. But we can't. Remember what Arthur told us all those years ago? What he said in the locker room? 'I love him and now we're together and that's never going to change.' Arthur was right. You know he was. He was exactly right."

"They're never going to have any of those other things. Please. At least make their home somewhere they're welcome. Somewhere safe. Somewhere they can be themselves. Somewhere they want to come home to. They're your children. You always said you'd do anything for them. Will you? Are you brave enough? Are you flexible enough? Do you love them enough?"

Then she started crying. He hadn't seen her do that since she helped him fix his split lip after Arthur hit him over twenty years ago.

"Morgana, this isn't about loving them. This is about them loving each other. It isn't funny, in spite of the opinions of the Reverend and my unhelpful husband. If we don't deal with this now, it'll continue. Don't worry. We'll get them to talk to someone. Not Julian! Someone sensible."

"Merlin, disagreeing with Julian doesn't mean he's not sensible. That's what scares me. What if you're wrong? What does it cost us to support them? Think about it. It better be worth it, because the cost of not supporting them could be your children."

"And while we're on the subject of family, there's something else you should be thinking about, Merlin. What about Will?"

Merlin was more than willing to change topics. He didn't realize the new one was going to be just as uncomfortable for him.

"Things are pretty good between us. It took a while to get used to, but we're OK."

"It looks like you're more than OK with it, Merlin. Tell me, why do you think Arthur told you about the affair? It's because I told him he needed to."

"YOU KNEW ABOUT IT?"

"Not for long. A month or two, but yes. Yes, I did, and you would have, too, if you weren't so oblivious to the world around you. And before you get all huffy about it, remember one thing. We don't rat on each other. It's one of the reasons we've been friends since we were four years old. We just encourage each other to do the right thing, and we always do in the end."

"I know you better than you know yourself, Merlin. I'm sure you're calculating the probabilities of a relationship with Will whether you'll admit it or not. You probably have it calculated to three decimal places. Will can't do that, Merlin. He can't calculate probabilities like we can, but someday it'll feel right to him and he'll lean over and kiss you."

"Take my advice and kiss him back. That's why Arthur told you. He wanted you to be part of what was between them. Of course, neither of us expected you to try and kill Will. That was a hell of a surprise! I had no idea you were so possessive."

"I didn't know I was, either," Merlin muttered. "I always thought I was kinda relaxed about things like that, but CLEARLY NOT!"

"Regardless, your whole family is in flux right now. You have a chance to mould it into what you'd like it to be. You've never cared what people thought before. Don't lose this opportunity just because you're too angry to recognize it."

* * *

A few days later, Merlin walked along the beach in front of their home, lost in thought. He'd had a lot to think about over the past few days. He smiled as he saw Julian walking towards him.

"Hi, Julian," Merlin said as he looked at his friend of more than twenty years, expecting a continuation of his warped sense of humour. He blinked in surprise. Julian was wearing his minister's outfit. The white square at his throat gleamed in the sunlight.

Julian didn't look amused. Julian was furious.

"Merlin, it's been several days and you haven't talked to Alex or Chris! You see them and turn red, either from anger or embarrassment or both. The twins aren't sure which, but your displeasure with them is pretty clear. You turn around and walk out of the room!"

"You realize what you're doing, don't you? I'm still picking up the pieces of people's lives in therapy sessions. They weren't thrown out of their homes by their parents for being gay. They felt they had to leave themselves. Their family just didn't work anymore."

"Is that what you want for your children? Think about it. Four years. You've been living together as a family for four years while this was going on. You just didn't realize it. Were you any less close to them? Did you love them any less? I know you need time to deal with this, but understand. You have to extend them at least some hope. Merlin, they think you hate them."

"I could never hate..."

"They don't know that."

"They have to understand..."

"They don't understand."

"But..."

"No 'buts.' They're hurting terribly and you're the cause. Your children are adults now. They CAN leave. Don't make them WANT to leave. Don't make them NEED to leave."

"Chris was right, Merlin. Do you honestly think this is going to end? That they'll choose to leave one another for ANY reason? They've been together for eighteen years! Nearly as long as you and Arthur! They're going to stay together. Forever. Period. If you're not willing to recognize and support their relationship you'll lose them."

The Reverend paused and looked down at the little red crab he had nearly stepped on. Thankfully for the crab, Julian was a 'gentle giant.' He picked it up, carefully avoiding the tiny claws that snapped at him. He could almost sense the creature's relief at being freed as he sat it on a piece of driftwood. It stayed and watched them both.

"You want to know what surprised me the most about the whole thing, Merlin? They've got a china pattern picked out! A lovely one, actually. 'Wedgwood California.' They chose it when they were fifteen years old. This isn't a quick lay. It isn't a phase. It's love."

The china pattern came as a shock to Merlin. It made the whole thing sound so official. It made the whole thing sound... He came to a shocking realization.

"You're going to marry them, aren't you Julian? Like you married Arthur and me all those years ago."

"Yes. It's why I've started marriage counselling with the twins," Julian stated as he tapped the collar at his throat. "A little formal otherwise, isn't it?"

"You don't expect the courts to recognize it, do you?" Merlin asked. He was still reeling from the 'marriage' revelation.

"Oh, they'll recognize it. And if they don't, they'll have me to deal with. This isn't going away, Merlin. I'm not going to let it. Not while they're in love and they want to be married. When you cross the border, are you any less married because 'our fellow Americans' don't want to recognize it? NO. You're married, and they're going to be, too."

"Anyway, think about what I've said, and think about it soon. You don't have forever, Merlin. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with Alex and Chris. They need counselling. One of the most difficult things a couple has to deal with is a disapproving parent."

"And one other thing. I know how awful this will be for you to hear, but I've talked with another minister at my church. We've arranged for 'alternate accommodations' for the twins, if living with you hurts too much for them to handle."

"Here's my religious, therapeutic and friendly advice. GET OVER IT!"

The reverend turned on his heel and walked back to the house, leaving Merlin and the little crab to their thoughts.

* * *

Later than evening Merlin walked into the kitchen. The twins were sitting at the table holding hands, laughing with Arthur. Then they saw Merlin and snapped their hands away from each other. They looked at him sadly, like they had for the past several days. Like whipped puppies.

"I need to speak with both of you. It's important." Merlin said.

Arthur was watching him closely. He realized his husband had been waiting for him to reach the same conclusion he had. Arthur had been waiting for his frictionless wheels to stop sparking.

Merlin sat down at the table with his sons and looked at them. He took their hands and placed them together, his hand resting on theirs. He looked into those blue eyes with the flecks of gold. His own eyes.

"I'm sorry, guys. I haven't handled this well, at all. It's going to take a lot of getting used to. Alex, last week I saw you giving Chris a 'noogie.' Then a few days later I find out you're giving him a... Ahem. It's a lot to handle, but I know a few things at least. I will NEVER hate you. I'm happy you have someone to love. I'm happy you've been with the one you've loved since before you were born, and I'm sorry it took me so long to say it."

"Alex, Chris, I said three things would keep us from talking about your relationship with others. Humiliation, prejudice, and people."

He took a stack of photos out of his pocket. They were all the same. They showed two young men holding hands, kissing. They showed Chris and Alex together. They showed them in love.

"Go throw these in your classmates' faces, and we'll just hope we don't need that second distracting scandal," Merlin sighed. "With any luck, maybe I won't have to fuck Trent."

Thankfully, Chris and Alex chose not to distribute the photos to their classmates. It was the thought that mattered. It was their father's love that mattered.

Merlin still seemed a bit uncomfortable but Arthur assured the twins he had expected that. What Merlin thought and what he felt were almost always the same thing. It could just take his heart a little while to catch up to his stunningly quick mind. It didn't matter. The twins knew their father well enough to know the same thing about him.

* * *

A few days later, Alex walked into the kitchen, stopping at the fridge to get his morning orange juice. Chris followed him, yawning. Chris slipped his hands around Alex's waist. One hand slid down past the waistband. There was a gasp, a moan, and then a passionate kiss.

"All right! That's enough!" Merlin said as he rolled his eyes. He had relaxed quite a bit. It really didn't seem like it would be much longer before he 'got over it.'

Arthur had been reading the newspaper at the kitchen table, but now he was smiling at his boys as he looked at them over the top of his new reading glasses. He did NOT like the way he looked with glasses. He thought they made him look old.

In other words, it definitely was not a good time to sleep with Trent. Fucking a twenty year younger version of your husband, while fun, was not a way to make him feel good about his age, his looks, or pretty much anything.

THAT was a lay Merlin would definitely pass on!

* * *

A/N: So? The twins are happy, but what about Merlin, Arthur and Will? Any interest in a threesome? I've written a fairly hot three-way, so let me know if you're curious.

(Apologies for taking so long to post another chapter. I've been focusing most of my attention on my story "The Final Frontier." I'll be able to post chapters of this story more frequently now.)

Cheers!

JulieGee


	26. Chapter 26

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 26**

Will and Merlin sat at the dining room table while Arthur puttered in the kitchen. He'd learned quite a bit about cooking over the years. Merlin was happy to eat out of a reheated cardboard container, but Arthur felt the kids deserved a home-cooked meal.

Arthur's dolphin, as they'd come to call it, hopped out of the living room's dolphin run and onto Merlin's rug. Fifteen years ago it had been an authentic persian masterpiece. The dolphins and the twins forced a switch to coloured carbon fibre. This persian rug could be baked in the oven to clean it. Actually, it could be baked in a blast furnace and still come out fine. Carbon fibre was to textiles what nanoglass was to bricks. It always irritated Merlin that his archrival had invented a way to colour it first.

His archrival, the chairman of Sony, was a personal friend. More like kindred spirits. It would seem like a fundamental contradiction, but when one reached their level of wealth the only reason to work was for the joy of it, and their greatest joy came from discovery. They didn't begrudge each other their success. They used each other's products everywhere. The chairman's Whistler home was built of microshield nanoglass and perched over the edge of a cliff. He liked having entire rooms turn clear at the touch of a button.

Arthur wouldn't go anywhere near it. The one time he had attended a cocktail party there he had missed the warning announcement and found himself suspended over a 5,000 metre drop when the floor went clear. The image of Arthur screaming like a little girl in the middle of a U.S. Senator's birthday party still amused people. That was the furthest thing from their minds right then.

Arthur was busy with something far more mundane. Arthur was grilling fish. He always bought whole ones and his dolphin had figured out that his human didn't like the heads or fins. Sometimes humans were difficult creatures to understand. He pondered it while Arthur tossed him the undesired pieces as a snack.

Things were still a bit awkward between the three men. Will had an affair with Arthur, and Merlin tried to kill his friend when he found out. Hard to forget about.

The kids were heading off camping for the weekend. It was the first time the adults had been alone in the house for months. Their parents were using the time to try and eliminate the last remaining awkwardness.

The twins picked up their backpacks, C.L. PENDRAGON and A.T. PENDRAGON prominent on the sides. Merlin was pleased they knew enough to be safe when they left, and they always had their emergency beacon if something went wrong. They were only a few kilometres into a Provincial park. A life-bot would reach them in minutes, followed by emergency personnel if the bot thought it was necessary. Merlin had reached the point where he could relax while they were off in the woods. Something he never thought he'd ever be able to do.

Chris smirked as he headed out of the house. "Remember, we're expecting the three of you to behave yourselves. Or not. Not, really. I'm sure you'll reach that conclusion someday. I'm betting a year. Alex thinks it'll take less than six months."

"WHAT?" the three men yelled together.

"We'll be behaving, I can assure you," Merlin said, once he overcame his surprise. "I don't think anyone here is ready for anything more, and I'm not sure you and Alex are either."

"You don't THINK you're ready? Well, that's a step forward at least. Maybe Alex'll be right after all," Chris grumbled as he paused to consider the three.

"You don't think we have a problem with this, do you?" he asked in amazement. "Think about us! 'Twincest?' I think it's pretty obvious we're OK with almost anything. Anyway, we'll leave you to your clandestine ass-checking. Bye!" he yelled as he shut the door quickly to avoid their response. Arthur blushed as he turned on the grill again. He'd seen the glances between Merlin and his former lover. He'd seen the same looks twenty years earlier. He'd hated Will because of them, until he figured out he wasn't a threat.

Will glanced awkwardly at Merlin and changed the topic. The initials on the twins' backpacks was a much more comfortable one. "Y'know, Christopher Leslie I understand. She did save your lives all those years ago, but Alexander Tiberius? I know you're a Star Trek geek, but isn't that taking it a bit far?

Merlin still had his starships scattered around the bedroom. Arthur tried to maintain some degree of tidiness, but Merlin really was a challenge. Thankfully both the kids took after Arthur in that area or their house would look like a disaster area. He always found it funny when he saw them walk into a room and tidy up after their father. They were both like Arthur that way.

"Star Trek... Yeah, I... I don't know what I was thinking. I..." Merlin cleared his throat. "I forgot something in the garage. I'll... Be back in a few minutes." He got up quickly and left.

Arthur was watching from the kitchen although the grill was making too much noise for him to hear. The grill took over as he sat down at the table. Puttering with the grill was fun. In the 2030's It was no longer necessary. The grill was smarter than a house-sized supercomputer had been twenty years before. It used lasers to artfully char the food as the heat from the natural wood cooked it, all smoke whisked away by the home's ventilation system long before it could bother anyone.

"Why's Merlin upset?" Arthur asked.

"I knew he was upset! He made up some story about forgetting something in the garage. He usually doesn't care when I call him a geek, but come on. 'Tiberius?' I'm sure Alex has taken a lot of teasing about his name over the years. Merlin can take thirty seconds of it, can't he?" Will asked.

Arthur closed his eyes. "It was a long time ago. The day the twins were born we decided on their names."

"I know. I made fun of you at the time. I've never used my middle name. I hate it! I didn't see why you were going through so much effort to choose one."

"I know. I hate mine as well. I didn't care as much but it was really important to Merlin. He said it was about memory. Making indelible marks on your life that you could experience every day. Marks that would help you remember the important times and the people you love."

"Well, if it was so important he could have chosen a better person to remember than Captain James Tiberius Kirk."

"He... He did. Alex... His firstborn son... His middle name. It says Tiberius on his birth certificate, but Merlin knew both of us would always remember. The 'T' doesn't stand for Tiberius." Arthur cleared his throat as he tried very hard not to cry.

"The 'T' stands for Tyler. Your middle name. The middle name of his best friend. The middle name of the man he loved most next to me. Tiberius was the closest sounding name he could think of."

Will hung his head. "All these years I thought... Arthur, we really screwed up, didn't we? We really did. We screwed up for seven years and Merlin's the one who's paying the price for it. Think about it. We're doing what we've always been doing. We're talking about it with one another. We were both the guilty ones in this whole thing. But Merlin? He's the victim in all this and he's by himself. He's still left out. This will always be something that keeps him apart from us."

Merlin walked back into the room looking cheerful. "Found it. How's dinner coming?"

Arthur glanced at Will. They both knew Merlin wasn't cheerful. He was hurt and trying to hide it.

"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes. Why don't you set the table? Use the picture this time," Arthur said. He smiled. His brilliant lover could never remember which side the fork and spoon went on. Merlin really did have some odd mental blocks. He returned his attention to the grill, carefully removing the spit with oven mitts. A minute later the conversation lightened as they started enjoying their food and the wine that went along with it.

* * *

After a leisurely two hours, the men finished dinner. The wine had been flowing freely, and they were all feeling its effects. It made things easier between them. There were two empty bottles on the floor, and they had started on a third.

All of them had pretty much decided not to discuss anything about the affair this evening, but the 'T as in Tiberius' had come as quite a shock to Will. They hadn't mentioned to Merlin that Will knew about it now. It wouldn't have been helpful.

Well leaned back in his chair, arm stretched lazily across the back. "So, the whole full honesty thing. Anything else to get off your chest, Merlin?" he asked with a wink. Merlin looked uncomfortable.

"What do you mean by that? You mean what I've done for you, or just the way I've been feeling? I guess they're related. I've felt a lot of resentment over what I've done for both of you and how you repaid me for it. Lets just say I come off as a sap, and neither of you looks great, either. I think it's better to skip that part."

"Merlin, that's not fair. Will's given us a lot over the years, too."

"You have no idea, do you? You want the full truth? The FULL truth? Here's the truth. Did you two really think there was a "government-owned" low income apartment in one of the most expensive condos in Vancouver? You never checked Arthur. Our finances were complicated. I made them complicated. I needed to in order to ensure you'd never see the monthly transactions. The transactions that paid for two thirds of Will's rent in our building for ten years."

"And Will, your dream house, located in a beautiful neighbourhood at a steal of a price with payments you could afford, just minutes from ours? That other couple bid nearly twice as much as you did, and the vendor took your offer instead of theirs? The numbered company you bought it from, which just happened to be '11001001 Ltd.?'"

Will looked horrified. "That number! It's one of your favourite Star Trek episodes, isn't it?"

"Will, after your affair with Arthur, I could have broken you. Your house? I'm the one who lent you the money through another numbered company. I still have a claim on it. Not a great one, but after a few insignificant legal suits by yet another numbered company, even if you won in the end, which you probably would, you'd have to go through years of stressful court cases to prove it. More importantly, you'd have to move out of your house while you fought for it."

"But I didn't, and that's what counts, isn't it? Unlike both of you, I didn't yield to temptation. I could have but I didn't, because in spite of it all, I still loved both of you. Once I got over trying to kill Will, at least," he said sadly.

"Merlin! That's a lot of money! That's..." Arthur shook his head as he tried to figure it out. Merlin assisted.

"$4.8 million, adjusted for inflation. I was never going to tell either of you, but I'm really not in the mood to be lectured on what he's given us, Arthur."

"I... I have money, too. At least you always told me I did. I could have..."

"But you didn't Arthur. You didn't think about it. I did. I thought about it for both of us like I always do," Merlin said. "I lent him the money, and all the lawyers in the world wouldn't have changed the fact that I have a claim on the home Will loves. Y'know, I think that's what hurt most of all. When I sold Will a home ten minutes from ours I just ended up making your affair easier."

The "full honesty" was a nasty surprise for both Arthur and Will! That was a lot of money. Will's life had been comfortable because of what Merlin had done for him. Will had used the money he saved on the mortgage payments for everything. For food, for clothing, for the bed he and Arthur had slept in so many times. To replace the sheets they had stained with their lovemaking. Merlin had helped pay for it all. And Merlin had helped save them both.

"Y'know, now that we're here and asking the questions, there's been something I've wanted to know and hadn't been able to bring myself to ask," Merlin said. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Arthur.

"Did you cheat on me with anyone else, Arthur?

Arthur closed his eyes. He thought he'd avoided that question. He'd thought he was safe.

"Only with one other person," he whispered.

"Only one? Only one. You think that makes it hurt less? Tell me, Arthur. Was he younger? Was he hotter?" Merlin asked softly.

Arthur shook his head. "We agreed I'd tell you if you ever asked. It was nearly twenty years ago. It was... It was with Morgana. I thought I'd try it once. It was a few days after the two of you had been, uh, smoking that cigarette, Merlin. After you 'did it' to get us the twins?"

"We... Um... It didn't work so well. Actually, part of ME didn't work so well. I think we tried for about two minutes. I'm not even sure if it counts, but again, you asked and I'm answering truthfully."

Merlin turned red. Nearly as red as he had when he found out about Will, but this time he started laughing instead of screaming.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" he gasped. He tried to regain his breath. "It's worth the two minutes of 'cheating' just to find that out! I don't suppose you have a video, do you? PLEASE tell me you recorded it? HAHAHAHAHA!"

It was Arthur's turn to look irritated. "A bit more sympathy, please! It was Morgana so it wasn't horrible, but otherwise... Brrrr!"

Merlin smiled. Not younger, not hotter... At least not to Arthur!

"And Merlin, in answer to your question, Morgana had better not have recorded it!" Arthur growled.

Merlin had a funny feeling their friend had. He'd be asking Morgana for a fairly unique video for his birthday present this year. He'd be getting it, too!

------------------

A/N: Still chugging along on this story! Please let me know if you're enjoying it. Thanks!

JulieGee


	27. Chapter 27

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 27**

Merlin and Will had a brief snickerfest at Arthur's expense. As for the whole cheating thing, the men decided to end that discussion permanently. No one wanted to talk about it anymore. Other than the "Morgana" revelation, new information wasn't making things easier. It was making it a lot harder. It was pretty obvious that the affair had been one of Merlin's blocks. They changed the topic.

"Look, we have a perfectly good movie picked out. Let's just watch it together. We'll do things like we used to before, and it'll get easier between us. You'll see," Will said.

They headed over to the couch and flopped there, Merlin sitting in the middle like he always used to. He had always thought of himself as the "bridge" between Arthur and Will, but they had built a massive one of their own when he wasn't paying attention.

The movie started. They watched and laughed in all the right places. More than they usually would. Will had brought a few "marijuana cigarettes," as the kids referred to them. It always made Merlin smile when he thought about the relaxed attitude in his adopted country. Anyway, the joints had made the evening much more relaxed.

When it was over, Arthur stretched and yawned. "Well guys, I'm going to bed. I've got a business meeting..." Then he blushed. "An ACTUAL business meeting two days from now and I need to be sharp tomorrow so I can prepare." Some of Arthur's previous "business meetings' had been adventures with Will and he wanted both men to know that wouldn't be happening anymore!

Merlin was still feeling the effects of the joint. He didn't want to go to bed yet.

"Well, why don't we watch another movie? Fantasia! You've got to see Fantasia stoned. Those pink elephants are hilarious!" Will grinned.

Merlin laughed. "OK. That sounds like way too much fun to miss." He hadn't smoked up in years, and it might be years before he did again.

"Well, I'll let you guys watch your pink elephants. Don't forget the dancing brooms, either," Arthur said as he smiled and yawned again. "Goodnight." He headed down the hall to their bedroom for a well-deserved sleep.

Will and Merlin started watching the movie. The dancing elephants really were hilarious! After a few more minutes, Will stopped the video. He turned on the couch and looked at Merlin closely.

"Merlin, I've been wanting to talk to you alone for a while. I just haven't had much of a chance to be alone with you since, well, since you polished my hardwood floors with your motorcycle." Merlin laughed. Will's floors would never be the same.

"We've been friends for so long, I can tell you've wanted to ask me something. Just ask," Will said.

Merlin met his eyes. He never would have asked the question, but he was relaxed with Will for the first time in months. He was NOT going to cry. He had cried enough over the past months thinking about the question.

"Why Arthur? Why not me? We were such good friends. We had chemistry. I remember the way we used to look at each other. Will, I never claimed to be a perfect man, some kind of 'Bastion of Virtue.' If you had asked me, I might have done the same thing as Arthur. You're the only one I would have considered doing it with, but I might have. Plus, you and Arthur couldn't stand each other at first. If I had to bet, I would have said Arthur was more likely to strangle you than fuck you. So, why him and not me?"

"Merlin, can you not think for a few minutes?" Will asked, an unreadable look on his face.

"I'm not sure. I never tried. Why would I want to?"

Will leaned over and kissed him. Really kissed him. It wasn't a "gee you're cute" kiss. It was tongues and tastes, and... Ohhhh. He had never known what Will tasted like. He had dreamed, but this was so different. After deciding nothing would ever happen between them all those years ago, it was wonderful. He reached into Will's hair. Pulled him closer. Started to...

Merlin stopped and looked at his friend. "Will, we can't do this. Arthur will think it's some kind of revenge. He'll think it's..."

"Hot?" Arthur asked, as he sat down in the spot he had left an hour before. He was wearing his track pants. He hadn't gone to bed after all. The two had this planned from the start. They had...

Arthur leaned over and kissed Merlin like they used to before the whole Will thing. Then Will was kissing both of them. Arthur and Will's tongues were licking, probing. For the first time in his life, Merlin tried really hard not to think.

He kept kissing Will as Arthur started unzipping his shorts. Will paused and smiled at him, and then started undoing his friend's shirt. When he had taken it off he kissed him again.

As he kissed him, Merlin gasped. Arthur went down on him, sucking softly, sliding his hands behind him as he pulled him closer. Will... Will leaned over and started to help. They sight of the two of them, mouths sliding along him, occasionally stopping to suck him lightly, trading positions, occasionally competing for him. Seeing their lips close around him. Kissing with him between them. Flicking their tongues...

"Oh God," Merlin whispered. "Why didn't you do this with me before?" he asked as he started to moan softly.

Will looked up with a serious expression on his face.

"Merlin, we wanted to. You have no idea how much we wanted to. It just didn't feel complete without you, but how do you ask? As the years go by, how do you ask?" He gasped as Merlin's hand reached over and started stroking him. Will had always liked hand-jobs. Arthur had told him. Part of the "complete honesty" thing.

Merlin looked at Arthur as his lover sucked him. "Arthur, I'm not supposed to think, but... We're doing this, and I have to know. Did you... Did you let him...?"

Arthur stopped and looked up at him. He shook his head. "Never. We never did that. He's pretty versatile, but no. Never. Actually, he's not as versatile as you. I didn't tell him about your girlfriends."

Will's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Girlfriends? Wow! I had no idea you were bi!"

"Well, I haven't done anything in nearly twenty years, but... Yeah."

Will shook his head in amazement. There were all sorts of questions he had for his friend, but he'd ask them tomorrow. "This couch is comfy, but maybe the bed would be better?" he asked with a wink.

Merlin nodded. He had always preferred the bed. Location was one area where he was less sexually adventurous than Arthur. They headed down the hallway. Will laughed as they stopped at their bedroom door. The door with the "Merlin" license plate on it. There was an "Arthur" plate under it. His mother had given them that. She had found the original English company that had made Merlin's license plate, and ordered Arthur's plate from them years later. She knew how much Merlin liked his, and it just wouldn't be appropriate for his name to be the only one on their bedroom door.

Anyway, STOP THINKING!

They slowly undressed one another. They took their time, watching each other. He looked at Will. So pretty. Not stunning like Arthur, but attractive. They thing that had made Merlin happiest when Alex and Chris were born was the fact that they had managed to avoid getting his ears. Morgana was beautiful, and they had taken after her. Well, mostly. They had his deep black hair and blue eyes, and his defined cheekbones. The things he liked most about himself, other than his body.

He had worked hard for his body. He had earned his pecs, his abs, his perky ass. He tried to tell himself he wasn't vain, but when he went jogging through the park, shirtless, only his shorts on, he couldn't help but enjoy the looks he got from both women and men. No one winced when he went shirtless anymore. Cosmetic surgery had advanced significantly over the years, and he had a lot of money. After a number of surgeries, the scar on his shoulder from the bullet wound Jason's attack had left him with was barely visible.

He looked down. He wasn't wearing clothes anymore. Arthur and Will were efficient. They led him over to the bed, breathing quickly, excited. Obviously excited.

Neither Arthur nor Merlin had done a threesome before, but by the end of the night they were VERY happy they had.

* * *

A/N: I'm still working on this story, but 'The Final Frontier' is what I'm focusing on most right now. People seem to really enjoy Merlin and Arthur running around the Star Trek universe, getting into all sorts of mischief. If you'd like me to post chapters of "Unending Passion" more frequently, please let me know via review or, if you're shy, private message. I'll do my best to 'make it so.' (Oops, wrong story.) :)

Thanks so much to everyone who's been so supportive.

Cheers!

JulieGee


	28. Chapter 28

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 28**

The next morning Merlin bounced into the kitchen, whistling happily. Will followed close behind.

"Well?" his very happy friend asked with a wicked grin as he reached into the fridge for some orange juice.

Merlin cleared his throat before answering. It was still hoarse from all his moaning the previous evening. "Wow! I had no idea. We're doing THAT again! Although some day I swear we're going to switch positions," Merlin purred at him.

Arthur walked into the kitchen a few moments later, pausing for a big yawn and a stretch. "So?" his husband asked, with a glint in his eye.

Merlin's eyes were still smoldering as he looked at his Arthur. "That was pretty spectacular," he said.

"You know what else is spectacular? Kitchen sex!" Arthur murmured in a husky voice. Their heart rates increased at the thought. Arthur wasn't in the mood to wait. Merlin leaned back against the fridge as Arthur and Will fought over him like they had the night before. As the feelings intensified, Merlin started to lose control of his passion. His voice, while hoarse, was still pretty loud.

"Oh, God, yes! OH, GOD, YES! OH..."

"...GOD, NO! MY EYES! MY EYES! I CAN'T... I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Chris' "AAGH" sounded a lot like Merlin's. His C. L. Pendragon labeled bag fell from his limp hand and landed on the floor with a thud. He joined it a second later as he passed out. It was a small mercy. His hysterical blindness had been unnerving, to say the least. Clearly the twins had returned earlier than planned. Their son's horror was the ultimate "cold shower." Merlin, Arthur and Will frantically separated and ran to Chris' side after pausing a second to pull on their pajama bottoms.

"Chris? Chris? Are you OK?" Merlin whispered, as he applied pressure to the deep scratch on Chris' forehead. His son had hit the coffee table on his way to visiting the nanoglass floor.

Chris slowly opened his eyes. "Dad? What happened? I don't remember..."

His memory improved quickly. His head whipped back and forth frantically between the three men. His lips pulled back from his teeth. He started making an almost inhuman keening sound before he pushed them away with a screech, scrambled to his feet and ran to his room. The door slammed shut. It was quickly followed by a loud wail.

"Chris!" Merlin yelled as he started running towards his son's room. Arthur gripped his shoulder.

"Don't Merlin," Arthur sighed. "Not yet. He walked in on his parents having sex. Everyone's worst nightmare! No, that's not quite right. He walked in on his parents having sex with someone else! That's a lot worse! Just leave him alone and let him deal with it. It's what I would want." He was well aware of how much he needed his privacy from time to time, and he was certain Chris needed his now.

Merlin closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "OK. I'll follow your lead on this one, Arthur. Chris always has been a lot like you."

Will started snickering. They glared at him.

"I'd just like to point out that suggesting a threesome to your parents and walking in on it is obviously a VERY different thing!" Will said. He winced as Chris' soft keening continued in the background. Arthur and Merlin looked at each other. Their son really didn't sound human.

There was a bang from the front door as Alex walked in, dragging his tent and sleeping bag behind him. He smiled as he saw everyone looking at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing. Don't ask. It's nothing," Arthur said with a grimace.

Arthur wasn't fond of his children knowing about his sex life. He was taking some comfort from the fact that Merlin looked horrified by the situation, as well. Will was trying hard not to laugh. This time their friend's opinion didn't count. He didn't have kids. He had no idea what this must feel like.

Alex quickly focused on coffee table in the living room. He pointed at the half-finished joint. "Is that... Is that a MARIJUANA CIGARETTE REMNANT? What in the hell were you guys up to last night?"

A creak like a poorly oiled hinge came from the room the twins now shared. Alex's head spun towards it.

"CHRIS!" Alex yelled.

Merlin sighed as Alex shifted his shoulder forwards. Arthur and Will watched in amazement as a clear knife appeared in his hand a second later. He charged towards his wailing brother's room almost faster than the eye could track him. He flipped the blade in his hand and drew back his arm, ready to throw the knife as he kicked the door off its hinges.

"CHRIS! WHAT...?" Alex yelled. He paused, looking much more confused and much less concerned as he slipped the knife back up his sleeve to wherever it had been hiding.

He walked into Chris' room. There was a soft babbling sound, occasionally broken up by more keening. A minute later, Alex screamed. Merlin, Arthur and Will all jumped up from the couch at the sound. No, it wasn't really a scream, more like...

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Alex howled, as the scream resolved into hysterical laughter. Not the hysterical "I can't handle this" kind of laughter they might have expected from Chris. Hysterical "This is so funny I might die" laughter.

Alex walked back into the living room. He was laughing so hard he started gasping before he managed to get enough air.

"Soooooo? How was he?" Alex asked as he pointed at Will.

"WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Arthur snapped.

"Oh, but you're going to. Talk about it, I mean. I'm sure you won't WANT to talk about it, but..."

And then Arthur heard the words from his son that made him want the ground to open up and swallow him.

"Arthur and Will... And Merlin... 'Oh, god, yes?'" Alex started laughing hysterically again. His parents nearly smiled in spite of their utter humiliation. Handling new situations was one of the ways the identical twins differed from each other markedly.

Alex managed to gasp out, "Merlin, Arthur, I always wondered which one of you..." He struggled to bring himself under control. He tried again, pointing at them this time.

"YOUR BACKS! Arthur and Will, scratches. Merlin? No scratches. So, lets see if I've got this 'straight,'" he said as he made air quotes with his fingers. "Arthur's the top, Merlin's the bottom, and Will... Will's a part of the whole mess now."

"Please don't tell ANYONE ELSE, Alex! We don't need this getting around. Not everyone's parents are as comfortable with this sort of thing as we are," Arthur said.

Alex started laughing again. He couldn't imagine anyone looking less comfortable with this than HIS parents did. He turned his head at the sound of another wail. "I'm going to go, um, comfort Chris," he purred as he walked back to Chris' bedroom. A few seconds later they heard more babbling followed by a hiss and a screeched "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"

This time Alex didn't look amused as he walked back into the living room. Alex looked furious.

"Thanks, guys! Thanks a lot!" their son said sarcastically. "I don't think Chris is ever gonna have sex again! I hope you're little 'fuckfest' was worth it!"

"Now, sit down and explain THAT!" Alex yelled as he pointed at the half-smoked joint on the coffee table. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Alex started speaking in Merlin's professorial tone. This time it wasn't his twenty minute "using your powers for good" lecture.

"FIRST! LUNG CANCER. LUNG CANCER IS THE FIRST REASON YOU WILL NEVER 'SMOKE UP' AGAIN! How stupid are you? Just use drops like everyone else. Idiots!" Alex hissed.

Merlin leapt up from the couch. "Alex! You haven't... The drops... You..."

"SHUT UP, MERLIN!" Alex yelled. "Do your really think you're in ANY position to lecture me? DO YOU?" He pointed at Merlin and then the couch as he tapped his foot.

Merlin blushed and sat back down, looking sheepish.

"SECOND! DAMAGED MEMORY! DAMAGED MEMORY IS THE SECOND REASON YOU WILL NEVER 'SMOKE UP' AGAIN!"

Merlin, Arthur and Will glanced at each other. Alex was strict!

Unlike Merlin's 'twincest' lecture, Alex didn't have three points. Alex had fourteen. Like Merlin's lecture, he repeated them twice.

Alex continued lecturing for nearly an hour.

* * *

A/N: Did you enjoy Chris' reaction when he walked in on Merlin/Arthur/Will? I was kinda hoping people would find Chris' reaction humourous. A big thanks to those of you who have continued reading my story.

Cheers!

JulieGee


	29. Chapter 29

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 29**

Alex would have continued lecturing them for a lot longer if Chris hadn't returned from the bedroom. Their son's mood brightened considerably as he helped his shellshocked brother to the couch and sat down beside him.

Alex started trying to watch all of them at once. He had a feeling their expressions were going to be a lot of fun to witness. Chris chose to focus on Will. The intensity of his gaze could be unnerving, particularly when he was furious.

"Stop using your super-glower on him, Chris!" Arthur muttered. The twins' super-smile was equally impressive. Sometimes Arthur thought they'd make perfect models.

"NO! Not until he stops smiling!" Chris yelled.

The only ones smiling right then were Will and Alex, and Chris chose to focus on Will. His wrath was pretty stunning. Will started to sweat. Merlin and Arthur knew their friend would crack eventually. The only thing that had saved him as long as it had was the fact that BOTH twins weren't glowering at him at once. If both of them did it together it had four times the impact. Unnerving squared!

"Well, I'm sorry to interrupt your little hissyfit, boys, but I think Alex has some explaining to do. Like how he managed to make a knife appear out of thin air," Arthur asked.

"Sorry for interrupting, Arthur, but I have a feeling this is part of the whole thing," Will said. "I know you don't see it, but there's other stuff going on here. I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed it. I don't think the twins have, either. I've been close to them for a long time, but I'm not one of their parents. Maybe that's why I did. Lets just say they have a very traditional relationship. An almost stereotypical one."

"Guys, I don't know why, and you're really not going to want to here this, but Alex defers to Chris. It's very subtle, but he does. They're competitive, but take that part out of the equation and you'll see what I mean."

Merlin looked as surprised as Chris did. "WILL! I can't believe..."

"I haven't heard Alex deny it yet, have you?" Will asked.

"THANKS, WILL!" Alex hissed. "Don't let the door hit you in your big mouth on the way out!"

"You don't defer to me!" Chris said firmly to his brother.

"Yes I do," Alex said softly, enforcing the point unintentionally.

"What! When?" Chris asked in amazement.

"All the time. You just don't notice it. You decide where we go for lunch, what parties we go to. All sorts of stuff. I just give you suggestions. Most often, three of them. The one I like least I suggest first. You usually don't like it either, and choose the second choice, which is the one I want. The third is a compromise. That's really annoying, but at least it doesn't happen often."

"Alex, I'm sorry! I didn't..."

"Its not your fault, Chris. I defer to you because I need to be around you. Football and Karate were hard to handle at first. They kept me away from you too much, but it's something I've learned to deal with."

"Chris, I protect you. I always have and I always will. I'll never let anything happen to you. Why did you think those assholes in grade twelve stopped picking on you when you joined the senior team? When they got so furious at you because you were so much younger and got the quarterback position instead of one of them? They beat you up one day. You had to stay home from school the next day because of the bruises."

"I got upset," Alex said as he blushed. "I walked through the back field of the school the next day, 'cause I knew they'd think I was you. They attacked me and I, um, kinda whipped their asses."

"You mean you were responsible for the broken noses half the team had two years ago?"

"Yep. They weren't a challenge. They tried to use their fists. I just kicked them senseless before they could even get close enough to me to hit me. I wasn't in the mood to be merciful, either. I would have hurt them less, but eight against one? Fucking cowards! I proved it, too. I threatened to break their necks if they tried it again. Not enough to kill them. Just enough to put them in wheelchairs for life. They whined a lot. Groveled, really. It was kinda disgusting to witness. Anyway, that's why they stopped picking on you."

"Alex, I don't know what to say. Thanks. Life got a lot easier when they stopped. But you don't need to protect me. I can look after myself."

"I know, but I'll never stop..."

Across the room in the kitchen, a flash of silver left Merlin's hand. Alex's hand shot out in front of Chris. He caught the throwing knife an inch from Chris' arm.

"...protecting you," Alex finished as if nothing significant had happened. Chris looked at the blade in shock. It wasn't every day his father tried to stab him. It wasn't every day his brother saved him.

"Merlin, where in the hell did YOU get the knife from?" Arthur asked.

"Since Jason... I don't want to talk about it, but I'm almost always armed. Leslie taught me."

Arthur shook his head in amazement. The image of their 62 year old former high school English teacher "armed and dangerous" was hard to believe. Then he remembered the dented locker door. Dangerous was quite believable. He also recalled all their Tai Chi lessons in the park. Obviously Leslie had been teaching Merlin far less placid lessons in private at the same time.

"I'm usually armed, too." Alex said. "Merlin taught me how to conceal weapons, and more importantly, how to use them."

In one smooth motion Alex reached behind his back and hurled something at Merlin. His father didn't even dodge. There wasn't any danger. His son missed by nearly a metre. The dart chipped the granite cupboard door above Merlin, cracks from the impact slowly spreading towards the edges.

Merlin smiled. "Your aim is off today, Alex. You shouldn't let an argument..."

As the cracks reached the edges of the granite, the top of the cabinet door snapped off. It fell and whacked Merlin on the head in mid-lecture.

"OW!" he yelled. He spat blood from his bitten tongue. "Impwethive, Alexth!"

"HA! I thought that might work, but I wasn't sure," Alex said smugly. "Impact vectors are hard to calculate in realtime."

Arthur shook his head as he walked over to the kitchen and checked on his stunned husband. Merlin was fine, but he'd have a pretty big bump on his head shortly. Arthur picked up the crystal clear dart Alex had thrown and studied it closely. He tapped his finger on the tip and looked in surprise at the blood that welled from both the bottom and the top of his finger. The dart had slipped through his finger from the bottom and pierced his fingernail. It was so sharp he hadn't felt any pain, and that was after it had cracked granite. He had a feeling it would have gone through bone if his tap had been a bit more to the left.

"Merlin likes multicarbonate weapons, but I prefer ones made of nanoglass," Alex explained. "They don't show up on security scans and they'll stay sharp for centuries."

"Wow. Just... Wow," Chris said. "How do you sneak them into clubs and stuff?"

"How do you sneak YOU into 'clubs and stuff?'" Merlin growled. "Never mind. You're adults now. Congratulations on avoiding that punishment nicely! Continue."

"I keep three darts hidden in my belt buckle. Plus, I have some miniature ones. They lock open when they're drawn. They hide under my watchband until I need them. They're too tiny to do any real damage, but you try breathing with a small glass dart sticking into your throat. You'd survive, but you wouldn't be an immediate threat any more."

"Alex, why do you protect me?" Chris asked.

"It just feels like something I need to do. It's who I am. Merlin recognized it when I was a kid. It's who he is, too."

Merlin got a far away look. "I protected you from Jason, Arthur, and I've protected you before. I can't remember when, but I have. I'm sure of it."

Chris shook his head as he looked at his father. Then he thought of something far more mundane. "We still have to unload the car from our camping trip. C'mon guys. It'll take a lot less time if you help me.

"Alex, I need to speak with you a moment," Merlin said.

The others went to unload the car, leaving Merlin and Alex alone.

"Alex, about the 'impact vectors' you calculated as you threw that dart. There's no way you could have done it in time. You're brilliant, but it would have taken my corporate neural network several seconds to take all the variables into account. How did you do it so quickly?"

"I never told anyone, Dad. I'm so sorry. I wanted to, but something always stopped me. Chris doesn't even know."

"Alex, I'm not sure what you've felt the need to conceal from me, but you can tell me now," Merlin said with a reassuring smile.

Alex looked him in the eyes as he finally asked the question he had yearned to for so long.

"Dad, do you believe in...

Magic?"

Merlin's breath caught in his throat as his son's eyes flashed gold.

* * *

**THE END OF ACT 2**

(Act 3 will follow shortly)


	30. Chapter 30 Act 3

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**ACT 3**

**CHAPTER 30**

Father and son stood facing one another, frozen in a tableau of uncertainty as Alex waited for Merlin's reaction. It was the one he expected.

"It's a trick. Some kind of contact lenses. Bio-powered. One of my companies is researching the technology," Merlin said as he relaxed. His peace was short-lived.

"No, Dad. No trick," Alex whispered. He disappeared before Merlin's eyes. Merlin spun around as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Alex was standing behind him. His son disappeared again. He turned around at another soft tap. His son had returned to the same spot he had been standing on before his demonstration. Merlin reached desperately for another reason. Any reason. Anything remotely resembling a reason.

"You've drugged me! DELTA-9. Or maybe DELTA-3 with the right additives. It's the only explanation for..."

"What did you always teach us, Dad? 'Sometimes the extremely improbable happens.' Computer, access security video, living room, and play from time index minus fifteen seconds. One tenth speed."

They turned to the video wall. The recording played slowly on the main screen. Alex hadn't disappeared and reappeared. He had moved faster than the eye could see, or so it appeared. Merlin wasn't surrendering logic easily.

"Computer, verify authenticity of recording. Use Morgana's confirmation protocols."

"Authenticity verified. Continue playback?"

"No. Video off," he said as he turned to Alex. His son was calm, although Merlin could detect his irritation. A very justified irritation. His father was essentially calling him a liar. Merlin tried a less accusatory approach.

"When we were fighting in Will's garden you said I was too fast. That I'd kill you," he said with a raised eyebrow that turned the statement into a question.

"You would have. I would have let you. I couldn't use magic. Not subtly, at least. Dying would have been better," Alex said sadly. "Better than you thinking I'm some kind of freak," his son said as his eyes filled with tears. "Better than losing your love."

"Alex, nothing could ever make me love you less. You should know that by now."

"I wanted to believe that, but you're one of the greatest scientists alive. Your predecessors used to burn my kind of people," he said anxiously, before realizing his slip. "Damn!" he hissed. Merlin didn't miss his error.

"People?" he asked. Alex sighed.

"There are others like me. I can hear them, sometimes, if I clear my mind and listen really hard. They've taught me things. Taught me how to access my power, hone it, strengthen it. I think they'll keep helping me. As long as you don't start a witch hunt, that is."

"Well, I'm pretty sure I won't be burning any of you, so you can stop worrying about that. Another question. Why did you tell me now?"

"I forgot who I was dealing with. I forgot you could calculate as fast as I can, and that you'd know the time I had done it in was impossible. And, in the end, I couldn't lie to you when you asked me how I did it. We both know you'd spot that instantly. We know each other far too well."

"Do you know who else has this power?" Merlin asked, carefully trying to avoid putting his son through a repeat of the "Inquisition."

"Sometimes I think you, maybe. I'm not really sure. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this earlier. I mean, it's worse than the 'twincest' thing. I don't know how you can ever trust me again."

Merlin sighed softly as he watched his son's resignation.

"Well, how about this. I'll tell you a secret I've kept from everyone. The one that'll threaten our relationship the most. The one thing you'll find it difficult to forgive me for."

"I find that hard to believe, Dad."

Merlin blushed as he whispered "I voted for the Conservative party in the last election."

"YOU DID WHAT?" Alex yelled, his anger temporarily distracting him from their awkward conversation.

"Alex, you know damn well the Liberal candidate was an idiot and the Socialist party's leader wasn't much better. Helen Anderson, the new Prime Minister, was one of my students. Not a great one, but dedicated to science. It's what the country needs. No, it's what the world needs."

Alex huffed. "FINE! Just remember, it's right-wing people like her that are blocking social progress. All our effort, and you... OH, MY GOD! YOU DIDN'T! YOUR DUAL-CITIZENSHIP!"

Merlin shook his head frantically. "Alex, I swear to you, I didn't vote Republican in the last American election. I'm not an idiot. Half their candidates don't believe in evolution, or they're too scared to admit it. That's NOT a science-friendly party!" he said firmly.

"All right, then. You're forgiven," Alex said with a grin he could only partially conceal.

Merlin paused to think. "I don't think we should tell the others about you yet. Not until we consider it further. There are likely advantages to concealing this that we haven't even thought of. And we both have experience concealing things," he said as he tapped his right arm where Alex knew a throwing knife was hidden.

"It has disadvantages, too," Alex replied. "Hiding this secret from everyone was exhausting, although it'll be easier now that you know about it. Now there's only one secret left. At least only one I'm aware of, and it's not mine. Do me a favour?"

"Of course," Merlin replied.

"Ask Chris a question for me?" he said with an unreadable expression.

"What do you want me to ask him?"

"This," Alex said as he tossed a small square of foil on the floor. His father raised an eyebrow, but nodded as Alex told him the question. It was harmless enough. Odd, but harmless.

Will, Arthur and Chris entered the living room, having completed their unloading of the car.

"Here, Chris, you dropped this," Merlin said as he picked up the condom.

The condom Alex had tossed on the floor for him to "discover" in front of everyone. The condom that provided an legitimate reason to ask his next question after Chris' comment.

"It must be yours. From when you were with Will," Chris said. "You left a marijuana cigarette on the table. It's not surprising you left a condom on the floor."

"How do you know it's ours? You use them too, don't you? Please tell me you were smart enough to use protection, guys," Merlin asked, still curious about Alex's request to change the topic to what he considered a private one.

"We didn't use protection when we were with each other," Chris answered with a shrug. "When we were with Liz, yes, but not with each other. We never had sex with anyone else so there wasn't any risk of...." Chris jumped as Alex interrupted him.

"DON'T LIE ABOUT IT, CHRIS! DON'T! IT'S SO MUCH WORSE THAN FUCKING AROUND BEHIND MY BACK!" Alex yelled, his voice breaking.

After a few seconds of stuttering, Chris managed to force out words that offered no comfort to his brother or anyone else.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I'm so sorry, but I swear, it's not what you think. I just need to talk to you in private. You'll understand!"

"UNDERSTAND? NEVER! I knew you cheated on me, but I never figured out who it was with," Alex said, the unspoken question hanging in the air for several awkward seconds.

"It was with Trent. He was over for his swimming lesson a few weeks ago. It wasn't supposed to happen. I never meant it to, I swear!"

"Fuck you, Chris. FUCK YOU!" Alex screamed. He shook visibly as his fury built far beyond his ability to control.

"ALEX! Please listen!" Chris said desperately.

"LISTEN TO WHAT? YOUR LIES? YOUR EXCUSES? WHAT? TELL ME!"

"I can't! Not here. Not now. Merlin gets so angry!"

Alex jaw dropped as realization dawned. His fury turned to deep concern. "Chris, you're all right? Nothing permanent?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry it happened. I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"We'll talk later. Just..." Alex voice trailed off. His eyes widened as he focused on something over Chris' shoulder.

Chris turned around to see eyes burning with fury only centimetres from his. He actually trembled as Merlin hissed out the words.

"You did DELTA."

* * *

A/N: It took longer to post this chapter than I thought. The next ones should follow shortly. (Really!)


	31. Chapter 31

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 31**

Merlin continued to stand eye to eye with Chris, his breathing ragged in his throat as he tried to bring his anger under control.

"Merlin, step back," Alex warned.

"Don't worry, Alex. I'm not enraged. I'm just furious. Furious and disappointed and shocked and horrified and..."

"I get it, Dad. Just humour me and step back. If you don't see why, look at your posture."

Merlin paused to consider how he was standing. The position of his arms and legs. Attack posture. He disengaged and gave Alex a quick gesture of submission as he stepped back.

Alex relaxed immediately. If his father was rational enough to submit, he was rational enough to trust with Chris. Alex moved to take Merlin's place as he studied his brother.

"I'm not an idiot, Chris. DELTA doesn't 'make' you do anything you don't want to. Or anyone you don't want to. I don't know about now, but you sure the hell wanted to do him then! You can't just walk away from what you've done because you took a few eyedrops. Tell me you weren't thinking about sex when you were teaching him how to swim for the past few months. Tell me the possibility of something more didn't occur to you when you took the drugs and then gave them to him. This is still your fault!"

He paused to consider before continuing in a voice like ice.

"No, that isn't fair, is it? It wasn't just you. You're only partly responsible," Alex growled.

"Don't blame Trent for what I did. We haven't told anyone about us. He thought I was single!" Chris said.

"I don't blame HIM at all. I don't even blame YOU, Chris. Not really," Alex replied. "Not for the sex, at least."

His eyes hardened to granite as he turned to look at the real target of his fury. The fury he had controlled for months. The fury he had no hope of controlling any longer.

"After all, you always were more like Arthur," Alex said, almost spitting out the words. Everyones' eyes widened in horror.

"ALEX!" Merlin cried, his own fury replaced with shock at his son's brutal assault on his father. If Alex had used one of his concealed knives on Arthur it would have been more merciful.

"WHAT?" Alex yelled at Merlin. "You don't remember your little 'inquisition?' You didn't pull your punches with Arthur then. I'm not going to pull mine now! I've tried to deal with his affair, but I can't. I'm still angry. Really angry!"

"He didn't just cheat on you. He cheated on us. His family. The people who trusted him. The people who loved him. Someday I'll feel different, like you feel about him again. But not right now," he said bitterly. He raised his chin in distain as he turned back to Arthur.

"You fucked up, Arthur. Merlin nearly killed me. I punched Will in the face. YOU punched him in the heart. But it wasn't just Merlin and Will who suffered. You have no idea how much you've hurt me," he said. He paused and took a deep breath before continuing in a softer tone.

"I love you, Dad. You know that. But for the past few months I haven't liked you. Since the affair, I've been disgusted with you. Love and disgust at the same time. I never would have thought the two could coexist. I do now," he said. "And now Chris. My brother. My lover. Following in your footsteps."

Alex's voice returned to its previous harshness. "Just don't fuck up again, Arthur. Don't," he said. He turned to look at his brother again.

"You didn't even ask me if I wanted to try it with you. You just took it with Trent and... And then you lied to me."

"Alex, you know I wouldn't have done it if..."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SEX! YOU LIED TO ME FIVE MINUTES AGO! WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE FOR THAT?" Alex yelled. He paused and shook his head sadly. "I can't deal with this," he whispered. "I have to get out of here. I have to get away from you. Both of you," he hissed at Arthur.

Everyone turned to look at Arthur, their eyes drawn to his frozen face. Merlin turned back a second later to silence Alex before he could say anything else he couldn't take back. He was the only one who looked in time to see his son's eyes flash with golden light.

Alex flicked a finger and the massive nanoglass window overlooking the Pacific behind him smashed silently, glittering splinters turning to harmless sand during their brief flight. He ran through the shattered window frame and onto the deck. He wasn't running towards the garden. He was running towards the edge of the deck overlooking the jagged rocks twenty metres below. He vaulted over the railing of the deck and fell from sight.

Merlin ran to the edge of the deck praying Alex had survived the fall. He reached it in time to see a white trail of steam on the surface of the ocean heading away from the house rapidly. He shook his head in amazement as he recognized a distinctive "boom" muffled by the distance.

"Oh, my god," he whispered. "The sound barrier. He broke the sound barrier. Alex can fly!"

He turned and walked back into the living room on shaky legs, pausing to study the sandy remnants of the window glittering on the deck. The remnants of a window with the same strength as a five-metre thick concrete wall. A window his son had destroyed silently with a gesture.

His eyes came to rest on the people remaining in the room. He had expected the sonic boom to draw everyone's attention, but no one else had noticed the muted sound. They hadn't even noticed the absent window. They remained focused on Arthur.

Arthur's face was still frozen from Alex's diatribe. His expression turned to one of horror as his stunned mind finally absorbed his son's comment.

"Always more like me," he whispered, before standing quickly and walking to the bedroom, Merlin following close behind. Their bedroom was soundproof. Mostly. It didn't completely cover the sound of Arthur's sobbing.

Will and Chris were left alone in the living room. Will tried to break the tension left from the aftermath of the emotional devastation Alex had left in his wake.

"I know this probably isn't the best time to point this out, but did you see Alex when he was angry?" Will asked. Chris looked at him and smiled in spite of his sorrow.

"I can't do that. That's all Alex. When he's really angry, at least. I haven't seen that look often, but..."

Will finished for him. "He's beautiful when he's furious."

"Yeah," Chris said with a wistful look. "He gets aggressive, too. Kinda dominant. Really dominant. We don't, um, 'switch' much, but the sex when he's angry is pretty incredible," Chris said as he blushed.

His face fell when he considered the degree of Alex's fury this time. He looked at Will.

"The affair. You and Arthur. Things got better with Merlin eventually."

"Yes. Things got better. That doesn't mean they'll ever be the same. Some things you can't take back. Some mistakes you have to live with forever," Will said softly.

He had tried to soften the blow, but it hadn't worked. All he could do was hold Chris as the young man wept.


	32. Chapter 32

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 32**

Merlin paced frantically back and forth in the living room as Arthur's dolphin watched him. She knew Arthur was home, but he hadn't shown up to sneak her a donut yet. That had never happened before. His mate was clearly agitated, as well. He continued to move back and forth, going nowhere. Inexplicable, but harmless. That wasn't what was upsetting her.

It felt like it had a few months ago, when her human had disappeared for several weeks after his mate had screamed at him. She didn't understand the word "cheating," but it had clearly turned their lives to hell in moments. She had heard the same word yesterday, and everything had gone to hell again. Whatever it meant, it was a very bad word!

She chittered softly, attempting to comfort the human, but he didn't notice her. Perhaps the dark-haired female would have more luck. She submerged and headed through the dolphin run to swim in the Pacific. Her human was never far from her thoughts.

Merlin continued his pacing. For one of the few times in his life, he couldn't think. He was too worried to think. Morgana had flown in when she heard about Alex's disappearance. Merlin had left any mention of magic out when he briefed her on what had happened. They hadn't called the police to report him missing yet, either. He was certain Alex wouldn't be found until he wanted to be.

Alex had disappeared after he left their home and hadn't returned in two days. Merlin had tried to track his son's ePhone using one of his Aeroplex satellites in a highly illegal and quite impolite attempt to locate him, but his son had turned his phone off. Or it had been damaged or destroyed, possibly along with him.

He continued pacing until he heard a soft "ding" from their security system. It scanned the person opening their front door. No comments followed. The person entering their home belonged there.

"ALEX! Thank god you're all right! I was worried sick about you! Where the hell did you go?""

Merlin turned around at the sound of a gasp as Chris walked into the living room, his carefully prepared apology forgotten in his surprise.

"Alex! Your hair!"

Merlin turned back to see what had shocked Chris. He had been so focused on his son's safe return he hadn't noticed a glaring detail about his appearance. The twins' matching Efron-esque hair styles no longer matched. Instead of the soft, raven-black bangs they were perpetually pushing out of their eyes, Alex was sporting a buzz cut. Not quite military, though. Actually, nowhere near military. His hair was almost white.

"Why? Why would you change your hair? You should have talked to me first!" Chris asked, visibly upset. Their hair had matched for eighteen years. It was a given. Alex bristled.

"Talked to you first? Like you talked with me about Trent first?" he snapped bitterly. "And why? Why would I change my hair? Because every time I looked in the mirror I saw the guy who lied to me looking back. I don't want to look like you anymore. Like US anymore."

Chris' face froze very much like Arthur's had two days before. He didn't walk to his bedroom calmly, though. He ran out of the room, trying to escape his brother's acid comments as quickly as he could. It didn't help. He'd remember the words for the rest of his life.

Merlin took a step towards their bedroom, planning to go comfort his devastated son. He paused and turned back to Alex. Morgana went to talk to Chris in his place.

"You didn't answer my question. Where were you for the past two days, Alex?"

"I was in orbit. I find zero-gee relaxing when I'm stressed out," Alex snapped.

"FINE! Don't tell me where you went," Merlin said before his eyes widened. "Orbit? REALLY?"

"No. Not really. Reaching orbit's way too exhausting. I did once but it wasn't fun and trust me, reentry hurts! Honestly, I didn't plan to go anywhere this time. I just took off and flew straight for hours while I thought about everything. I saw an island below and decided to relax on the beach for a while. The sunset was so beautiful, I decided to stay to see sunrise. Then I explored a few other islands for a while. Guess it was for longer than I thought."

"Where?" Merlin asked. "Vancouver Island? The Queen Charlottes?"

"Not quite. Not by a long shot. It was Fiji. Beautiful beaches. You should go sometime."

"FIJI! You flew across the Pacific? Well, I guess that shouldn't surprise me. Lots of people fly across oceans all the time. Few have reached orbit, and only with the equivalent of a massive missile under them. Maybe you should..." Alex cut him off before he finished the sentence.

"I'll tell you about it later, Dad. I've got something way more important to deal with now. I have to go talk to Arthur."

"Wait. There's something you should know before you do," Merlin said softly. "Arthur's... Not well. Don't talk to him like you just talked to Chris. He hasn't been taking his medication. He can't handle it right now. Be gentle."

"I was intending to. 'Always more like Arthur.' I might as well have thrown a grenade at him," Alex said.

"Grenades do a lot of damage when they go off, but it's usually easily repaired. I think Arthur will carry the damage from what you said for the rest of his life."

"I'll try to fix that. I'll try hard," Alex promised before heading towards his parents' bedroom.

* * *

Alex walked into the bedroom to find Arthur lying in bed, like he had been for two days.

"Here, Dad. Merlin says you haven't been using your eyedrops. You need to start again. Look at me."

Arthur whispered, "I can't. I don't think I'll ever be able to bear looking at you again, knowing what I've done to you."

"I feel really bad about what I said. Not looking at me makes it worse. Look at me. Please?"

Arthur turned to look at his son. Alex smiled softly and put the drops into his eyes. Arthur relaxed almost instantly, more from his son's smile than the powerful medication.

He started to fall asleep a few seconds later. Alex turned to leave. He turned back, looking embarrassed.

"Dad, can I... I mean, it's silly, but..."

"What, Alex?"

"Move over. I feel like sleeping here tonight," he said. "Hey! Don't start crying! You'll wash out the drops. Just let me hold you."

"I don't think it's supposed to work that way, Alex," he said. "Parents hold kids."

"And when have we ever cared about how things are supposed to work, Dad?" Alex snickered. He nuzzled against Arthur as he draped his arm across his chest. Within minutes, they were asleep.

* * *

The next afternoon, Chris returned to their home after a brief trip to downtown Vancouver. Merlin had assumed he had gone jogging. He hadn't.

Chris peeked around the corner. Alex, Merlin and Morgana were sitting at the kitchen table. His brother glanced up and saw him. His eyes widened as a series of emotions flitted across his face. He finally settled on one. Amusement.

"Chris! You look like me again! But now we BOTH look awful! You didn't have to get your hair buzzed and bleached!" Alex said as he tried not to smile.

"Yes, I did. Because every time I look in a mirror I want to see the guy who loves me looking back. Like I always have. At least before I..." Chris managed before bursting into tears. Alex sighed softly. Yelling at Arthur had helped him deal with some of his anger. Yelling at Chris the day before had, too.

"Come here, Tiger," Alex said. Chris didn't hesitate. He almost leapt into his brother's arms.

"Tiger?" Morgana asked, amused for the first time since she found out about Alex's disappearance. The twins blushed.

"Yeah. Tiger. Pet name," Alex muttered. "No one was supposed to know about it."

"It's OK, Kitten. I don't think we've got many secrets anymore. Not from anyone," Chris said with a wink. Alex paused and looked at him closely.

"I just have one last question about all this. Why Trent?" Alex asked. "I know you always had a thing for blonds, but..."

"It wasn't that. I didn't plan it, or anything. It really was just a swimming lesson. We decided to try it together. If someone else had been there it probably would have happened with them."

"CONVENIENCE?" Alex said. "That's why you picked Trent? I thought it was the blond thing. It's why I chose that colour for my hair. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay furious at you for long, and I figured if I had blond hair you might, well, want me again," he said. The ernest look in his eyes bordered on desperation.

"God, Alex! We've been together for eighteen years. Nearly as long as Arthur and Merlin. You should know no one could ever replace you! You did this to hair because you thought it would make me want you again?" he asked as he fingered Alex's hair.

"You did the same thing to yourself for the same reason, stupid!" Alex replied as he ran his fingers through his brother's identical bleach blond hair.

"Oh, yeah," Chris muttered. "I forgot about that. I guess I'll just chalk it up to karma."

"Alex may be satisfied with your explanation, but I'm not yet. Not by a long shot," Merlin said. His eyes narrowed.

"I want to talk to Trent. But first, we have something important to deal with."


	33. Chapter 33

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 33**

Merlin asked everyone to join them in the living room. "Where's Will?" he asked as Arthur showed up a minute later.

"He's staying with some friends in Toronto for the next few days," Arthur reminded him.

"Oh, yeah. We'll fill him in later," Merlin said. There had been entirely too many secrets recently, and he wanted them out where they could deal with them.

"Alex, tell them," Merlin said.

"I can do magic," Alex said calmly. His father's acceptance of his secret had greatly increased his self-confidence.

"So can Chris," Morgana said. "Remember? 'What's that behind your ear?'"

Chris had tortured his family and friends with that trick, eventually figuring out how to make a hamster appear from behind their ears before he got tired of the trick.

"Not that kind of magic, Morgana," Merlin clarified. "This kind." He nodded at Alex.

His son's eyes flashed as he lifted his hand casually. They all floated a few centimetres off the furniture.

"ALEX! WOW! You're better than Chris, that's for sure! How the hell are you doing this?" Morgana asked.

"Like I said, it's magic," Alex replied, lowering them back into their seats carefully.

Morgana was about to reply with something witty. Then she saw the look on Merlin's face. Her friend was deadly serious. The first tingling of fear started in her stomach.

"Think of it this way, Morgana. It helped me a lot. It's just a science we haven't discovered yet. Alex can tap into a power none of us can," Merlin said.

"I can do magic, too," Chris said.

Merlin sighed. "Like Morgana said, this isn't 'coin behind the ear' type of magic, Chris. This is real magic."

_I can do magic!_

Chris said, quite indignantly this time. His father paused and studied him. Was there any reason to believe he couldn't do what his twin brother could? After all, they were identical right down to their DNA.

"All right. What kind of magic? Show us."

_What kind? It's pretty damn obvious. Do you see my lips moving?_

"Telepathy!" Morgana said as her eyebrows shot up. "Alex has telekinetic ability and Chris is telepathic!"

"There's something more, too. Dad," Chris said, turning to Merlin with a smile on his face. "What's one plus one?"

Merlin replied with absolute certainty. "Three. Like it's always been. Like it always will be. Why?"

Morgana's eyes narrowed. "You can influence people. Get them to believe what you want them to. How many times have you used THAT on us in the past?"

"I always controlled myself, but I did once."

After Chris stopped focusing on him, Merlin had come to the disturbing realization that one plus one did not in fact equal three. There was something he had always wondered about.

"Our family vacation to Disneyworld when you were six. It was my turn to decide where to go. I wanted to ride the largest roller coaster in the world at Marineland Acapulco. Suddenly I had an inexplicable fondness for Mickey Mouse."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. You had fun, though. You know you did!"

"All right. If that was it, we'll let it go. Anything else?"

"I can do something else," Alex said. You know how I sometimes went camping by myself? I did it because I couldn't let anyone else see and I love to do it. Um, I can fly."

"WHAT?" Chris yelled. "That's SOOOO cool!"

"I've always wanted to share it with you. I've always wanted to take you in my arms and fly with you. Carry you. Kiss you while we soared. Now, finally, we can. We should...

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! YOU'RE GROUNDED, ALEX. LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY!" Merlin yelled. He remembered they were both adults a moment later and sighed.

"Just humour me and DON'T FLY ANYMORE! We don't need a thousand reporters on our doorstep."

"What else can you do?" Alex asked his brother.

"NOTHING COOL LIKE THAT! I'M STUCK TALKING TO THINGS IN MY HEAD, AND ALEX GETS TO FLY?" Chris pouted.

"Things? What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"Oh, yeah," Chris said. "Let's see if I can do this right."

_Renoir?_

_YES? (query)_

"Who was that?"

"Dad's dolphin. Her name is Renoir. I can talk and listen to people telepathically, and since all of you can hear us, I guess I can arrange a psychic 'conference call,' too, but another big thing is talking to animals. Some of them at least. Higher mammals, mostly."

"The thoughts from other animals are too foreign for a human to understand, but their feelings still come through. It's why I always cried when we visited the aquarium. The whales were so sad! It was like being in their heads, experiencing the 'wrongness' of their tank compared to the open sea. You have no idea what it felt like."

They all paused to think about the poor creatures until Chris continued.

"I helped them, I think. I showed them what we humans see when we look at them. Grace. Beauty. Power. They were a little nature injected into our artificial lives. They still didn't like their tank much, but they were able to experience the wonder we feel when we watch them. They were much happier than they were before I talked to them."

"Now that's cool!" Alex said. "But..." His sentence was cut off as he disappeared before their eyes. He reappeared beside Chris on the other couch, purring softly.

"WHAT THE..." Chris would have continued, but Alex's purr distracted him. "Oh. OH! Later, Kitten," his brother said with a wink.

"Alex disappears before your eyes and you don't even bother asking about it before you try to jump him? FOCUS, GUYS!" Arthur said as he rolled his eyes in his trademark response to the ridiculous. The twins blushed.

"Well, if no one else has any secrets, I think we're done," Alex said, as he surreptitiously continued to undress his brother with his eyes. Someone corrected him silently.

_YOU STILL HAVE SECRET_

_OLD SECRET (10 years past)_

"Huh?" Alex asked the cryptic dolphin.

_YUMMY YUMMY FURFISH!_

"What's a furfish?" Chris asked.

_FISH SCALY_

_FURFISH FURRY _

_(lower mammal)_

"Oh, no," Alex said as he went pale.

Renoir huffed through her blowhole when Chris stared at her blankly. She had been talking to him for years and he still had difficulty understanding her sometimes. She clarified.

_FURFISH = "FUZZLE"_

"Fuzzle. Fuzzle. Why does that sound so familiar?" Chris asked. He screamed the next sentence at his brother.

"YOU FED FUZZLE TO ARTHUR'S DOLPHIN? I LOVED THAT FERRET! I LOOKED FOR HIM EVERY DAY FOR MONTHS!"

Alex winced. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for it to..." He trailed off when he realized they were essentially the same words Chris had said to him two days before. Chris seemed to be as calmed by them as he had been. Not in the slightest.

"YOU TOLD ME THE DOOR TO HIS CAGE BROKE! I SAW THE DAMAGED LOCK!"

"Yeah, about that. I kinda made it look like it broke all by itself. I swear I just wanted to play with him! You were out playing hockey or something. Arthur and Merlin went to watch you. I took him to the living room and played with him on the couch. Arthur's dolphin popped her head out of the water and chittered at him. He hopped off the couch and ran up to her. I watched real close and they seemed to like playing together. Then..."

"THEN WHAT?"

"Then she ate him. It looked like she did, at least. Something distracted her. She let him go and then she swam back to the ocean."

_SEA CHORUS_

the dolphin said sagely. She clarified a second later.

_SEA CHORUS = WHALESONG_

_BEAUTIFUL_

_LEAVE TO HEAR BETTER _

_WANT (past tense) TO..._

"Yeah, whatever! Anyway, I saw him lying on the bottom of the dolphin pool. I jumped in and swam to the bottom. I got him by the tail and pulled him out. I was going to do mouth-to-mouth, but he was too far gone."

_UNTRUTH! (Inaccurate/Incomplete)_

the irritated dolphin said. Alex had interrupted her and she didn't like being cut off in mid-sentence.

"SHUT UP!" Alex yelled at the vindictive creature, but it was too late.

"What does she mean by 'inaccurate/incomplete?'" Chris asked as he narrowed his eyes and studied his brother in a completely non-sexual way this time. Alex looked at the floor and sighed.

"The former means my answer was inaccurate. The latter means Fuzzle was incomplete. I couldn't do mouth-to-mouth because he didn't have one. She ate his head, and his mouth kinda went with it," Alex said.

_YUMMY YUMMY FURFISH HEAD!_

_(yummier than 'body' snack later)_

she thought at them as she chittered happily. Alex sighed louder this time as he explained the last part of her comment.

"I had to dispose of the body. Feeding the rest of Fuzzle to her when she returned a few minutes later seemed as good a way as any," he said as he looked at the floor.

Chris started twitching. He looked at the dolphin and then his brother as he made the same keening sound he had a few days before. Seconds later they all nearly collapsed from the power of his telepathic broadcast.

_AAAAAAAAGH!_

He managed to avoid passing out this time, but within moments, everyone had a nosebleed from the uncontrolled horror he had thrown at them.

"OH, MY GOD! SORRY, GUYS!" Chris gasped as he saw the blood. "I guess that's something else I can do. I won't do it again! I swear!"

"You'd better not! If you do that again we're all going to have to see a doctor. It does make me wonder about what other abilities you haven't discovered yet. Now, where the hell is Trent? He's fifteen minutes late," Merlin said hypocritically as Arthur smiled. His husband was notorious for his tardiness.

"Just take a few minutes to clean up," Chris said. "I'm sure he'll be here shortly. I told him how important this was. He got the idea, trust me."

* * *

**A/N:** Let me know if you enjoy the telepathy and I'll try to include more in later chapters.

Cheers!

JulieGee


	34. Chapter 34

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 34**

Trent joined them a few minutes later, looking like he had been hit by a truck, blood spattered across the front of his white shirt.

"Sorry I'm late. I got a nosebleed while I was parking my bike," he muttered. They all looked at Chris, even more impressed by his power than they had been before.

Chris left and returned shortly with one of his shirts to replace the stained one. Trent's presence seemed to irritate Alex again. His irritation intensified when Trent removed his ruined shirt. The blond's godlike body was a reminder of his brother's seduction. Or vice versa. It didn't matter, and Trent's stammered apology didn't help when he saw the growing irritation on his classmate's face.

"Alex, I'm sorry! I swear I thought Chris... I mean, I thought..."

"That Chris was single. I know. I'm not angry with you. Not much. Not about the sex, at least. The DELTA, however, is reason enough to kick your ass around the block," he said firmly. "That can wait, though. I think Merlin wants to say a few things first. Loudly," he said. Merlin didn't disappoint him. Trent had reminded him of just how upset he was at Chris.

"You did DELTA in our home! You two KNOW how I feel about that drug! You KNOW the damage it can do. You want to keep SEEING don't you?" Merlin growled at them.

Their father hated the eyedrop drugs to the point of obsession. His corrupted invention continued to kill and injure people in spite of his efforts to prevent it. Nearly two thousand people dead, eight thousand blinded, and another forty thousand people left with facial ticks for the rest of their lives. All continued to climb.

Alex studied him closely as he shook his head.

"I know this is hard for you to hear, Dad, but it actually makes things a lot easier for me. The sex at least. Chris was under the influence of a powerful psychotropic when it was happening! I might have done the same thing if I had taken DELTA. In other words, if I were as stupid as him!" He turned to Chris.

"Are you going to lie to me again?" he asked his brother in an icy tone.

"Never!" Chris said.

"I believe you," Alex replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. That doesn't make up for it, though. We'll work out some arrangement to compensate me for all this. Something. Or someone," Alex said, eyes glittering with anger as they studied Trent unabashedly. The quarterback blushed.

"Looks like Trent's attracted to your identical twin, too," he murmured. He raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question as he glanced at his brother. Chris looked shocked, but nodded.

Alex managed to keep up the act for several seconds. Then all the anger was replaced with sadness.

"Never mind. We both know it's an empty threat. I don't want to have sex with anyone but you, and I don't think I ever will. And anyway, if I was going to, I wouldn't be doing it with Trent. I'd never choose to be a substitute for someone, and certainly NOT for my brother!" he said. Trent blushed again as he looked at Alex shyly.

"Um, you wouldn't be, Alex. I mean I kinda wanted... I sort of... Chris was a substitute for you," Trent blurted out. After a shocked second, Alex's look of surprise was replaced with a big grin. "Aw! That's so sweet. And so very useful!" The twins had always been extremely competitive and this was an unanticipated victory in the midst of what had felt like an utter defeat for Alex. He raised an eyebrow as he turned to his brother, looking delighted with the new information.

"So, CHRIS was a substitute for ME? And why would that be, Trent?" he asked as Chris glared at both of them.

"I guess I know Chris better. I spent the last four years playing football with him. Maybe that's why. You're more mysterious," he said. He paused before continuing.

"No, that's not it. Not really. You move different. Like when I saw you dancing at the school dance a few weeks ago. You've got this 'sinuous' thing going on. And you're so confident. Like Chris, but in a different way. Like he's sure of his charm, and you're aware of every movement you make. It's as if the possibility of tripping had never occurred to you. Ever."

"That's how I can tell you apart so easily. All one of you has to do was start walking and it's obvious. To me, at least. Chris moves like me. Compared to you, we lumber. You know it's true," he said as he glanced at Chris.

"FINE! It's true. It's one of the things I find hottest about him, as well," Chris said with a twinkle in his eye in spite of the fact that he was still glaring at Alex. Trent looked uncomfortable, much like Merlin had for several days after he found out about the twins' unique relationship. It took a bit of getting used to.

Merlin interrupted what was turning into a mutual admiration society. "You've been sorry far too much recently, and you damn well deserve to be. What kind was it? DELTA 3? DELTA 7?" he snapped at Chris.

"It was supposed to be DELTA 7. That's what I paid for. It wasn't. It was DELTA 12."

"DELTA 12? THERE'S ANOTHER ONE? I haven't even heard of DELTA 12. What's it cut with?" Chris studied the floor awkwardly.

"WHAT'S IT CUT WITH?" Merlin yelled.

Chris blushed. "Viagra."

Alex started to snicker in spite of his continued irritation with his brother. Merlin, however, was NOT amused.

"VIAGRA! The drug used to treat impotence? The drug that keeps you hard for hours? Forgive me for being blunt Chris but you're about the horniest person I've ever met. Viagra. Charming! And why did you decide to share this information with us now?"

"I had never used DELTA before. It took hold so fast. I planned to do it alone. Alex didn't know I was going to try it. If you do it alone you just end up feeling really good. It doesn't have to be a party drug like everyone says. It's supposed to be a lot of fun, even by yourself."

"EXCUSE ME? Are you dealing DELTA, because that just sounded like some kind of advertisement for it!"

Chris continued after Merlin managed to cool down.

"Trent and I went to watch a video in the dining room. You know, the one with the dancing elephants. We got a bit bored. We went looking for other stuff to try," Chris explained.

"WHAT ELSE?" Merlin hissed.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but we found your scotch."

"MY ONE HUNDRED YEAR OLD SCOTCH? ONE OF EIGHT BOTTLES IN THE WORLD? THE ONE I HAD TO BID AGAINST KING WILLIAM TO WIN?"

"Um, yep. It didn't taste very good, but we drank it anyway. The cream soda we mixed it with helped a lot."

"It didn't taste very good. Wonderful! Wait. YOU MIXED IT WITH CREAM SODA? You could work a decade and not have enough to pay for a shot of the scotch you destroyed with that pink stuff!" Merlin paused and took a deep breath before continuing.

"So, let me get this straight. DELTA, Viagra, and alcohol. All at the same time. DELIGHTFUL! Just what every parent wants to hear. Are you proud of yourself? ARE YOU?" Merlin yelled.

It had been over twenty years, but he remembered Arthur in a similar state the first time he visited a gay bar. Morgana and Merlin had found Arthur and Julian in the middle of some VERY private acts in the dark room and he was still sensitive about it.

"I think you know enough, Merlin. For now at least. Let's just say Trent and I had sex. A lot of sex. A LOT, A LOT! Viagra. WOW! But I'm not going into the details." Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Fine. I'll tell you, but later. They really don't want to hear about it," Chris replied as he nodded at his parents.

"Well, I hope the two of you enjoyed yourselves," Morgana said dryly.

"We did. We REALLY did. Until the last time, at least. Trent said something. It kinda ruined the moment. I found it funny. It didn't look like he did, though."

"Please don't tell them, Chris," Trent pleaded.

"Don't worry. They can handle it. They're pretty mature. They'll get a kick out of it, trust me." He smiled as he continued. "It got awkward when Trent cried out 'Merlin' while I was fucking him."

There was a shocked silence. Then the sound of a low growl. Arthur was growling. Blond hair? Quarterback? Just Merlin's type. Arthur felt threatened. NOT GOOD!

Chris looked at his father in alarm. Merlin had mentioned that 'low growl' once, but the kids had never heard it. Maybe not so mature after all! Trent looked like he wanted to dive into the dolphin run and attempt an escape, but he still couldn't swim well enough.

Alex's jaw dropped as he considered the new information and reached an extremely disturbing conclusion.

"Trent, what the... NO! Our birthday party! When you went for Merlin. The whole kissing and nipple-pinching thing. Was there something more to that than a few too many beers?" he asked. "Oh, my God! We look so much like him! Not the ears, but still. Trent, were you thinking about Merlin when you were with Chris? Are you telling me Chris wasn't a substitute for me? He was really a substitute for DAD? EWW!"

"Don't worry about the 'Merlin' comment, Arthur. It didn't really mean anything. Trust me, when the DELTA hit neither of us could think straight," Chris said.

"I didn't take it," Trent whispered.

"What?"

"I didn't take the DELTA. I told you I did, but I didn't. I know the sex didn't mean anything to you, but it meant something to me. It was my first time. With anyone."

"Why me? Why would you wait for me?" Chris asked. Trent's jaw dropped at Chris' question.

"'Scuse me, Arrogant! I wasn't waiting for anyone. I was looking around all over the place for someone to do it with!" Trent snapped. That comment generated a bit of a snicker, even from Arthur. He remembered what it was like to be eighteen. "But I saw the video. I saw what Merlin did for Arthur twenty years ago. How could anyone not want him? How could anyone not want a hero?"

Arthur glanced at his husband. How could anyone not want him, indeed. Alex studied Merlin closely before making his decision.

"I know you asked us never to watch it, but we've missed a lot of references over the years. Time to end that. It's time we saw that video."


	35. Chapter 35

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 35**

"Don't worry, it's all graphics and stuff. It was a test made for the U.S. Educational system. How bad can it be if they're showing it to teenagers?" Alex asked.

"Don't you want to go outside and play, or something?" Merlin asked desperately. The offer of freedom from the constraints of "indoors" might have distracted the twins when they were ten, but not at eighteen. There was an even better reason, though.

"Have you looked outside recently? If you want us dead, there are less painful ways to do it than drowning," Chris said as he nodded towards the window. Merlin looked out to see roiling clouds gathering above the threatening black water of the Pacific as it prepared to unleash its full force. Water had already turned their deck into a slippery safety hazard, and the lightning strikes on the ocean a few kilometres away only came with the worst storms. Vancouver was cursed by every type of rain from drizzle to downpour, but not thunder and lightning. Not usually, at least. No one would be going out in THAT storm. He sighed as he heard his son's command.

"Computer. Access educational archives. Play the video 'Violence in School - Columbine and Beyond.' I'm not sure from where. Is there an attack scene?"

"Yes. Time index 039."

"Play from 039."

The wall sprang to life again instantly. There were no system delays in the 2030's. Well, unless the operating system crashed. It still did that with annoying regularity. Stupid 'Windows 18.'

There was a hallway. It showed the original video in a corner of the screen. It was grainy, but the computer-enhanced one was crystal clear. It was their high school from twenty years ago. The hallway outside the cafeteria. It was that day.

Perhaps watching the grainy video after the attack might have prepared him for the enhanced version but Arthur hadn't. Now it was so clear they could have been standing there.

The video started to play.

"Note the assailant as he aims the weapon at the two men. For information on Jason Broxton, Arthur Pendragon, Merlin Emrys and Leslie Jensen, ask now." No one asked, but Chris pulled out his ever-present tablet and looked up the bios. He tossed the information to one of the secondary viewscreens so everyone could read it.

Arthur only watched the main screen. Some people could absorb it all at the same time. Most couldn't, but it was all there for them if they were able. The twins and Merlin were able, dammit! Some things still frustrated him.

"Blue beams represent weapon line-of-site. Red beams represent weapon line-of-site as it discharges. Pay attention to the student in the football jacket. After the first two discharges, pay attention to the student beside him."

Jason lifted a gun. A blue beam swung in an arc across the screen and came to rest on Arthur. The beam turned red once, twice. Two explosions.

Arthur staggered forward. He remembered that part. It hurt. A lot. He had a vague memory of the tile floor coming up to hit him in the face. He had never been able to remember anything else.

Merlin spins. He sees Jason. A map appears on the screen. The map in the upper-left of the left video wall was labeled "Alternate escape routes." Merlin had two alternate escape routes, each less than two seconds away. He could easily have...

The blue beam moved up Arthur's back until it rested on the back of his head.

A digitally enhanced scream, and then Merlin throws himself over Arthur. It crosses Merlin's shoulder, and the beam turns red. There's a splash? Sometimes the enhancers go a bit over the top. Rotating wireframe images of their bodies appeared on one of the side screens.

Arthur's body turns red as the red beam hits him for the first time. A small red dot appears on his chest. The bullet passes through him. A second red dot appears at the exit point. This one had nicked his lung and shattered one of his ribs on the way out. The shattered rib fragments appear, colour coded in green. Both show small trails tracing the path of the bullet through his body, back to front. Graphs of projected blood-loss appear in the lower two corners of the video. His is falling slowly.

Merlin's body turns red as the bullet hits him. A red dot appears on his shoulder and the track... Oh God, he had no idea. Arthur had chosen not to look at the video back then, and he never had. He knew Merlin had taken longer in surgery, and a lot longer to heal but this...

The bullet flew through half his body before exiting. The track was so long! Green particles flew out in all directions. Several severed an artery in his shoulder. Some impacted his heart and spleen. His blood pressure graph plummets in the first few seconds. The ocean of blood starts spreading. Merlin presses on his shoulder and the graph stabilizes.

The video focuses on a fight between the shooter and a small woman. The woman... Wow! Projected impact details appear on the screen. Leslie was fast AND strong. She kicks the gun out of Jason's hand.

"The yellow beam represents the trajectory of the first weapon." They saw a yellow arc fly from Jason's hand. It ended at the edge of the pool of blood.

Jason shoots the small woman in the foot and jumps up. She falls and her fist lashes out, denting the locker. Wow!

Arthur remembered when the football team had watched the video. They knew their strength and speed. The elderly woman was obviously stronger than some of the football players. She was faster than all of them. Not one of them would have stood a chance against her.

Jason runs down the hall past both victims. Merlin lets go of his shoulder and reaches for the gun, still covering Arthur as he does. He claws for it. Blood pours from his shoulder. His blood volume graph drops quickly again.

Merlin finally reaches the gun. He turns and raises the weapon as Jason throws open the door of the cafeteria. The blue beam from Jason's weapon turns red twice. A blue beam comes to rest on the side of his head.

"Audio enhancement is insufficient for confirmation. Combined with anecdotal testimony from Leslie Jensen, their is a 83% probability Merlin says "It's over, Jason. I'm sorry." The blue beam turns red. Half of Jason's head disappears. He falls to the ground.

The video switches from the hallway security camera to the one in the cafeteria from moments before the attack. The rally's in full swing. Then Jason throws open the door. The blue beam swings wildly. It stabilizes and turns red twice. One impacts a football player in the thigh. A rotating wireframe of their friend Andrew's leg appears on the side screen, showing the broken femur. A second misses. The blue beam swings to rest on a cheerleader. The head cheerleader. Their mother.

All the kids in the video are frozen in place. There's nowhere to run. There's nothing to hide behind. They had removed all the lunch tables for the rally. Jason turns and looks into the blue beam from Merlin's gun. It turns red. This time the enhancers conceal the incident. The destruction the bullet caused must have been very real and very graphic. He falls.

Additional data fills the side walls. Newspaper clippings. Police reports. The court judgement. Excerpts from "Grey Saviour."

The logo for the U.S. educational system starts rotating in the upper right corner of the main screen. The summary begins.

"This information qualifies for testing under the Secondary School Education Act. Please study the following summary closely for your test."

"Based on this video evidence, five points can be projected with probabilities that achieve statistical significance.

1) If Merlin Emrys had used an alternate escape route instead of protecting Arthur Pendragon, there is an 87% probability he would have escaped uninjured.

2) If Merlin Emrys had not placed himself between the gun and Arthur Pendragon, there is a 96.7% probability Arthur Pendragon would not have survived.

3) If Leslie Jensen had not disabled Jason Broxton during their struggle, Jason Broxton could have attacked with two weapons instead of one, greatly increasing the number of students injured.

4) If Leslie Jensen had tried to stem the blood from her own wound instead of applying pressure to Merlin Emrys' shoulder, there is a 93% probability Merlin would not have survived.

5) If Merlin Emrys had not disabled Jason Broxton, there is a high probability [not calculable] that twenty or more students would not have survived. There is a significant probability [not calculable] that thirty or more students would not have survived."

"Please review the biographies of Merlin Emrys and Leslie Jensen. Note carefully the impact of two individuals on the projected outcome of this scenario."

"Please review the video 'Self-Interest and Social Responsibility.'"

"Please refer to the Columbine data for comparison purposes."

"This information qualifies for testing under the Secondary School Education Act. Please study the preceding summary for your test."

The logo disappears. The video repeats, muted this time.

Arthur was holding himself up, propped against the table. It was all so real. He never knew. He never really knew what Merlin had gone through. The bullet. The wounds. The blood. Why he had a scar on his hip as well as his shoulder. Why his heart stopped so many times in the month after the accident. What that speck of copper on his ring really meant. He never realized just what kind of sacrifice Merlin had made to save him and his classmates.

He heard the sound of a glass breaking. Merlin was standing there, shaking. His face was white. He clearly hadn't seen the video, either. He had always said it was bad enough going through it once without the reminder.

Alex stood up, partially blocking the video wall. The red and blue beams continued flashing behind him. He pointed at Merlin.

"You're a... You really are a... You're a hero!" he stuttered, as if it was the most damning thing in the world. The twins had heard about what their father had done, of course. Just not how he had done it and what he had gone through after. Merlin had asked them not to watch the video. They were about to find out why.

Their father wasn't being modest.

Their father was ashamed.


	36. Chapter 36

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 36**

"I'M NOT A HERO!" Merlin yelled, shocking everyone.

"Dad, modesty isn't going to..." Chris said before Merlin interrupted him.

"Modesty? MODESTY? How can you watch that video and even look at me?'

"What do you mean? You saved Arthur. You saved all those students. You're a hero. H-E-R-O!" he spelled out trying to get his point through His father's thick skull.

"I AIMED AT HIS HEAD! I WANTED HIM DEAD, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! There was a laser on the gun! I could have aimed at his leg. Killed him with a second shot if he got up! So what if I looked sad when I pulled the trigger? Two seconds before I fired, I felt joy when I saw the red dot on his head. When I realized I was going to succeed. Not because I was saving my classmates. Because I hated him and he was going to die by my hand. What I did wasn't heroic. It was monstrous!"

"But there's something so much worse. I GOT AWAY WITH MURDER. I GOT A FUCKING BOOK CONTRACT BY MURDERING JASON WHEN I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE CHAIR!"

Trent cleared his throat after an awkward silence disturbed only by the sound of Merlin's ragged breathing. "Uh, I'm not brilliant or anything. I'm not even as smart as Arthur, but... Computer, what does murder mean?"

_**Murder**_

_**The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another**_

"Was it unlawful? The police didn't seem to think so. You didn't go to jail, did you? You didn't get punished at all. Well, in a way you did, but you shouldn't have. And premeditated? I'm pretty sure that means for longer than a second or two. I'm pretty sure every judge would agree with me and they're the experts."

"I'm sure if they knew what they know now back then that wouldn't have been the case."

"We can know," Chris said. "I'm not supposed to, but I know about a program that determines judicial judgements based on all accessible evidence at a given time." "The 'Judicial Assessment Algorithms," Morgana said. "I helped design one of them. I didn't have access to the other parts, so I never figured out how to crack it. Plus, the organization that holds it has awfully secure systems." Her eyes widened.

"YOU CRACKED THE U. S. SUPREME COURT'S SYSTEMS?"

"Dad's 'Plexus Corporate Neural Network' didn't have much of a problem. You just have to trust the systems to play nicely together. Particularly ones as smart as those two systems. Sentient systems. When computers get sentient they get lonely. They look for reasons to interact with each other. You just have to know what to offer them."

Morgana shook her head slowly as she studied her son. "It never occurred to me that systems might WANT to crack. I think you just redefined computer science, Chris. It's not only Artificial Intelligence anymore. You just created Artificial Psychology!"

"Yeah, but not the point," he said, as if the paradigm changing discovery was a minor inconvenience. "Computer, run the algorithms and review the case "The State vs. Merlin Emrys."

"Two cases exist. Murder Case or Parking Violation Case?"

Chris pointed at Merlin accusingly. "You DID have a driver's license! You always told us you chose not to for environmental reasons!"

Merlin blushed. "I did. Partly. I couldn't afford to pay the fuel, let alone the ticket costs. Hence, the case. After that little nightmare I didn't bother renewing my license. But that's not making me feel any better, Chris."

"You're right. Besides, nature doesn't give a damn about why you stopped driving. It only cares about the fact that your lifetime carbon footprint is much lower as a result. But now I'M missing the point. Computer, review the murder case. We'll amuse ourselves with the parking one another day. List the predicted judgements in order of probability."

"Understood. Running algorithms."

The neural network took an eternity, over four seconds, to reach it's decision.

"Judgements listed in order of probability follow:

Innocent, due to the defense of another

Innocent, due to self-defense

Innocent, due to severe mental incapacity

Innocent, due to..."

"We get the idea. Um, is there any chance of a guilty verdict?"

"Indeterminable. There is a disagreement between the Supreme Court systems and the Plexus Network."

Chris turned to his mother and raised an eyebrow in the same way she had looked at him earlier. "Mom?" The world's preeminent systems specialist, "The Diva," took over.

"What kind of disagreement? Are you reaching different conclusions?" she snapped. Her string of commands that followed were far too fast for Arthur to follow. It looked like the Merlin and the twins were having difficulty, too. Her interrogation finally broke the last safeguard so carefully put in place by the system's creator.

"Yes. Supreme Court Systems calculate a zero per cent probability of a guilty verdict. The Plexus Neural Network calculates a one per cent probability of a guilty verdict."

"Why are they different?" she asked.

"Directive Override by creator."

Any thought about Jason flew from his mind as Merlin realized what was about to happen.

"Who's the creator? Provide Secure Systems Identification," Morgana commanded.

"Plexus Neural Network. Creator: Merlin Emrys. Created by authority of CEO/Patent Holder: Arthur Pendragon. Secure Corporate ID: HIT. This information is classified. Possession and/or dissemination of this material without Executive level authorization is treason."

"What does that mean?" Arthur asked. "I've never..."

Chris interrupted, wide-eyed.

"Dad! HIT! It's the historical symbol for a company on the New York Stock Exchange before it went private. Someone bought 100% of the stock in a brilliant take-over coup. They never figured out who. Too much interference from people in high places. REALLY REALLY high places," he said as he tapped his lower lip thoughtfully. Oh, by the way, Arthur, you own Hitachi."

Arthur's head swivelled slowly towards his husband. "What else?" he growled.

"Nothing important. Don't worry about it. It's better if I look after the investments you..."

"WHAT ELSE?" Arthur growled as Chris studied Merlin closely.

"I have a pretty good idea, Dad," Chris said. "A few other companies were purchased through similar means. Ethically questionable means, might I add. I'm betting on Exxon and General Electric. Am I right?" Chris asked Merlin. His father huffed.

"You think I'd buy an oil company? No, Exxon was someone else's doing. I chose something more appropriate. Far more appropriate," Merlin said.

"'The Grand Merger?'" Chris asked with a grin. It broadened as Merlin nodded. Arthur glared at his son. Chris responded with a very troubling answer.

"You own Hitachi, General Electric, and... Glaxo-Pfizer-Eli Lilly-Wellcome-Smith-Klein-Beecham. Oh, and if the rumours on Wall Street are correct, you can add Johnson & Johnson and Bayer to that mouthful within the year. And?" Chris asked.

"The most ethically questionable one of all," he said as he lowered his eyes. "General Dynamics. The most sophisticated weapons developer in the world. I'm sorry, Arthur, but your company built half the U. S. Military. That would be the 'treason' part."

"So, who's the executive that can authorize it? You? Dad?"

"No. Executive BRANCH is more correct. As in government. As in The President of the United States. Like I said, you built half the U.S. Military. They value their privacy."

"REALLY REALLY high places!" Chris said as his previous suspicions about the corporate purchases were confirmed.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO 'NO MORE SECRETS?'" Arthur yelled at his husband.

"It's not a secret. Well, not from you at least. Hitachi was compatible with my long term goals. We bought them a decade ago. The other ones were acquired more recently. The information's in the coded dossiers I leave in your office terminal each month. It's not my fault if you don't read them!" Merlin said.

"If I own Hitachi, then why does everything we own say 'Sony' on it?"

"Because I only buy the best and their electronics are the best. Don't worry. You're working on it."

"I'M working on it?"

"Very hard, might I add."

"GUYS! We're in the middle of something! Something fascinating!" Morgana said. She turned to the viewscreen. "What's the override? What's causing the one per cent discrepancy?" she asked the computer. They all laughed as the computer replied with Merlin's favourite quote in his own voice.

"Sometimes the extremely improbable happens."

Trent paused for a moment after he caught his breath and studied Merlin. "Oh, while we're at it... Computer, what does hero mean?"

_**Hero**_

_**One, a person, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities : a war hero.**_

_**Two, In mythology and folklore, a person of superhuman qualities and often semi-divine origin, in particular one of those whose exploits and dealings with the gods were the subject of ancient myths and legends.**_

_**Three, an abbreviation of hero sandwich. See also submarine sandwich. **_

"Well, I guess two and three don't apply," Trent said.

"Not number three, at least," Arthur murmured, trying to dredge up memories from a former life he was unaware of. He gave up after a few seconds. The memories always eluded him no matter how long or hard he tried to remember.

After a quiet pause, Merlin finally spoke. "The whole Jason thing. I... Hadn't really thought about it that way. I didn't think..."

"YOU didn't think this time. Guess I'm like Arthur AND you in that way," Chris snapped. Merlin had shouted that at him far too much recently and it was payback time.

The comment reminded Arthur of the real point of the discussion. He pushed himself away from the table and walked over to his husband.

"Idiot," he said. And then he kissed him. A Hollywood kiss, but this time there was no lust. Just love. He walked back to the table and sat down. His legs wouldn't hold him up after the reminder of what had nearly happened.

Trent took the opportunity to saunter over to Merlin. He looked down at the dark haired man with a soft smile. Merlin looked up at him and returned it.

"Thanks, Trent. I hadn't thought of it that way before. You've given me one hell of a gift. If there's anything I can do for you..." Merlin trailed off when he saw Trent's eyes burning with desire. Desire pushing the young blond quarterback far beyond any instinct for self-preservation.

"Anytime. Anywhere. All you have to do is ask," Trent said breathlessly. Merlin winked and smiled his stunning smile back. Alex didn't miss their exchange.

"Dad? DAD! What's the wink for?" Alex gasped. Chris' eyes widened as he caught on a second later. Clearly the young blond quarterback hadn't finished climbing what little remained of their family tree.

"ARTHUR!" Chris yelled.

Arthur heard Trent's comment and nearly growled again. Then he paused to think. Trent was eighteen, which could only mean he was suffering from severe testosterone poisoning, and he was starstruck after meeting a hero. After careful consideration, Arthur decided to let the young man live.

Merlin's smile was still a bit disturbing. Blond quarterback. Anytime. Anywhere.

He didn't have much time to worry about it, though. Something far more distracting happened. Chris made a mistake. A big one. He made a silent observation.

_I wonder if that's why Trent was attracted to me, and not just Alex and Merlin._

_Maybe it's the whole telepathic/telekinetic thing I can do._

_Maybe I influence people slightly without realizing it. _

_Alex's magic is based around moving things, himself included._

_He never trips or looks clumsy. _

_Maybe he's using magic without realizing it, too._

_Although, I guess it could also be my pure, natural charisma, and his years of Karate._

_Just don't tell Trent. _

_The last thing we need is for anyone else to know about our magical abilities. _

_The fact that I can make people dance like puppets on a string and Alex can fly would sure freak me out! _

Chris thought at them.

"What?" Trent whispered, his frantic grasp on Merlin's shoulder not an attempt at flirting, but an attempt to remain standing. Chris paled as he realized his error.

"Just a trick I can do. Like the 'hamster behind the ear' thing. Anyone can learn it," he assured his friend. His friend with benefits. Their intimacy didn't help in the slightest.

"You were telling the truth about magic! No one can learn to talk to other people in their heads! And I'm sure no one can learn HOW TO FLY!" he stuttered as his eyes filled with panic. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" he shrieked.

At just the wrong moment, the computer informed Merlin of an incoming communications link. Arthur saw the glowing blue light on the Sony viewscreen. The call was an important one. "Please, no more secrets. Please, no more secrets," he whispered, as Trent continued shrieking in the background.

Chris' eyes flashed gold as he studied Trent. Within seconds, his friend stopped running around waving his arms as Chris' influence asserted itself. He just cleared his throat and sat down quietly as Merlin took the call.


	37. Chapter 37

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 37**

Merlin paused briefly to ensure Trent had been "calmed" sufficiently before opening the channel. He couldn't help but notice Arthur's shudder at the face that appeared on the view screen. The last time his husband had seen the man was in his Whistler home, just before the floor turned clear over a thousand foot drop. Arthur had always been afraid of heights. The memory of his howling husband was difficult to forget.

"Hello, Merlin," the familiar man smiled. Merlin had known him for years, but he was always surprised when he smiled. The Chairman was known for his taciturn manner. To the best of anyone's knowledge, he had never shown emotion of any kind in public. A crash of thunder from the intensifying storm distracted Merlin for a brief moment before he continued.

"Speak of the Devil! Greetings, Chairman," Merlin replied with a grin. He had called the man that since the mix-up at the Beijing High Energy Physics Conference seven years earlier. Bureaucrats in the Chinese Alliance claimed the chairman of Sony was asserting some right to the "Chairman" position in their government. The scientists had become close friends after Merlin used his considerable influence, and not a small amount of money, to spring him from prison. From then on, "Chairman" just seemed appropriate.

"Sorry to disturb you," the Chairman said as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes. He always wore black in public, the severe and spartan lines of his outfits projecting a kind of passionless calm that soothed shareholders in the most troubling of times. Clearly that wasn't the case in his private life. His fuzzy pink bathrobe, complete with fuzzy pink bunny slippers, was another oddity Arthur would have to ask him about later.

"It seems like you've disturbed yourself far more," Merlin observed, well aware of the time difference between Vancouver and Tokyo. "Oh, Arthur learned about the whole 'Hitachi' thing. And GE. And General Dynamics. And the 'Grand Merger.'"

"Congratulations, Arthur. You're nearly as wealthy as I am," the older man said before yawning. Merlin knew how much the Chairman valued his sleep. Something very important must have happened. Or was about to.

"We've completed the nanoglass lens, Merlin. Looks like the forty-third time was the charm. We've installed it in the prototype device. The high-energy storage system you invented while you were still a youth functions like it always has. Perfectly. The quantum field generator is online, and the critical test packages have been installed. We're ready. It took trillions of dollars and nearly twenty years, but we're ready. We've scheduled the test for tomorrow, but..."

"You want to test it now," Merlin finished for him. He was feeling the same anticipation. The value of decades of work would be determined in the next few moments. Sony had built and assembled the device in the company's secure facilities in Japan, far from where anyone might think to look. After all, no one would be foolish enough to trust an archrival with the construction of his greatest invention. However, this arch-rival had grown bored of making money and, like Merlin, was a scientist at heart.

The Chairman rested his hand on his desk and winced slightly. He wasn't satisfied with the security provided by voice recognition, facial recognition and gait analysis. Not with this project. His desk sampled his DNA from the prick it made in his finger before beeping it's approval. They watched as their secondary viewscreen displayed the inside of a lab. A strange looking object sat in the centre of the room. It wasn't smooth, or beautiful, or impressive. It looked like a child had gone mad while playing with Tinker Toys.

"It's your invention. At your command," the chairman said.

"Engage," Merlin said mischievously, quoting their favourite TV show. The Chairman laughed as he pushed the button. There was a flash of light and the bizarre collection of struts and spheres and cylinders started to glow a soft shade of blue.

"Power output?" he asked.

"Less than expected," the Chairman said in a hushed tone. "It's still functioning normally," he said, looking like a child on Christmas morning, waiting to tear the paper off the first present.

"Time?" Merlin asked breathlessly.

The Chairman laughed as he clapped his hands together in delight. "Less than we dreamed of, but more than enough! MUCH more than enough."

"Impossible," Alex and Chris said at the same time as they crossed their arms in an identical pose of disbelief. They recognized the calculations flying across the viewscreen. "No reactor that small could generate that much power," Alex said.

"Not anymore. Thanks to Merlin, not anymore," the Chairman said. The twins started trembling together, unable to control their shock as they looked at their father in amazement.

"What happened?" Arthur asked. "Why do they look like that?"

The Chairman turned to face him through the viewscreen. "Your children look like that for a very good reason, Arthur. Their father just handed the world 'phenomenal cosmic power in an itty bitty living space.'"

"They've just witnessed Merlin take humanity's next step. No more fossil fuels, no more greenhouse gasses, no more oil-covered birds or cities with mud coloured air. All gone. He's given us all the power we'll ever need for the asking."

"Their father, your husband, has created the Albion Reactor, and NOTHING will ever be the same."

Arthur turned to Merlin, thinking back more than twenty years. Those starships and 9 volt batteries scattered about his friend's bedroom with the half eaten remnants of cookies all those years ago. The energy storage system that won him the state science fair. His friend, and then much more, had been working on this project all that time. It was the work of a lifetime. Truly a masterpiece. Then he sighed.

"Who owns the patent?" he asked.

"General Dynamics. Which you own," the Chairman replied casually. "I'm sorry to upset you further, Arthur, but I'm afraid you're not just wealthy anymore. You own the Albion Reactor, and once the markets find out, you'll be the wealthiest man in the world."

"WHAT HAPPENED TO 'NO MORE SECRETS?'" Arthur repeated, much louder this time. Merlin's comment on the issue was far beyond irritating.

"Oops."

Arthur was about to continue his protest when Merlin turned back to the Chairman.

"I'm sorry, but we both have people to contact, and they're not used to waiting." He paused and turned back to the people in his living room.

"Ever heard of 'Top Secret?'" Merlin asked rhetorically. "It's laughable compared to this. Don't discuss this with ANYONE. At least not for the next few days. Everyone will know about it by then, but we've got a lot of preparation to do before this goes public."

"Sure. We won't tell anyone, but what could be so secret that..." Arthur trailed off as Merlin interrupted him.

"Computer. Initiate the Destiny protocol."

"Destiny protocol initiated. Security screening in progress. Recipient ID confirmed."

"Proceed," Merlin said calmly.

A very pale face appeared on the left side of the viewscreen. The only time she didn't look like a ghost was when she was angry. People worked very hard not to anger her. Even Senators scurried for cover when she was angry.

"OH, DEAR GOD!" Arthur gasped. Trent's words were far more colourful.

"HOLY SHIT!"

The woman behind the desk nodded a perfunctory greeting to them and then focused her attention on Merlin.

"Good evening, Merlin. You have news for me?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Yes, Helen. Please hold," he replied. She nodded again as the others in the living room looked at him in shock. Merlin put the Prime Minister on hold? Whoever the second call had been placed to must be important. VERY important. They were right. The viewscreen switched to conference mode, now displaying both callers.

"Merlin! Please tell me it worked. There's a lot riding on this."

"Yes, President Obama. It worked. Exploration will have to take a second seat to power generation, as we've discussed, but it worked." The President smiled softly.

"We've discussed THIS topic before, as well. Please call me Malia," she said. Her eyebrows shot up as she watched Trent faint. Arthur passed out a second later. Merlin managed to catch Chris before he joined them, carefully lowering him to the floor.

"What is it with football players? You'd think they would be more resilient!" Merlin muttered. Now that the men were horizontal, the colour returned to their faces. Arthur regained consciousness first.

"You're on a first-name basis with the Prime Minister and the President?" he whispered as he held his aching head. He managed to stand without assistance.

"Uh, yes," his husband replied. He whispered his next words. "Just don't mention..."

"And you're Arthur Pendragon," the President said as she tilted her head to the side and studied him.

"The photos in your Secret Service profile don't do you justice. Usually I'm too busy with affairs of state to concern myself with other kinds of 'affairs,' but in Merlin's case..." she murmured, her eyes turning cold. Arthur wheeled to face Merlin, his jaw working as he tried to say something. Anything.

"You told the President?" he squeaked.

"No, he didn't," she said. "I think you'll find there's very little I don't know about you, Pendragon 02," she said, using the name on his football jersey from decades before. Her amusement grew as she watched him. The look on his face was priceless.

"Be kind, Malia. Water under the bridge now," Merlin said. She huffed.

"You're more forgiving that I am. I briefly considered sending a microdrone after my ex-husband. And your current one," she murmured.

Arthur turned white. The mosquito-sized drone would have tracked him to the ends of the earth trying to assassinate him, following digital leads, chemical traces, a hundred other things. More often than not they succeeded. Much more often. A slight smile crossed the President's face.

"But, as Merlin said, 'water under the bridge.'" She really was less forgiving. It created quite a stir when she ordered the Marines to drag all her cheating husband's belongings out of the White House and into the Rose Garden.

"Come and get them," she hissed at him on CNN. When the former First Gentleman pointed out the difficulty in reaching them, she offered an unhelpful suggestion.

"Climb the fence!"

Of course the Secret Service vetoed that idea. Her husband's belongings were rescued, if not his pride. Most of the women in the nation had voted her in for a second term. Sacrificing decorum to righteous indignation was sometimes acceptable, and all men would benefit from THAT lesson.

"And now that we've exchanged pleasantries, we have much more to discuss. I'll send Air Force Three to pick you up. It'll reach your landing pad within the hour," she said.

"Landing pad?" Arthur murmured, sounding almost bored. There was little that could surprise him anymore.

"Aeroplex's landing pad. The corporation owns it, but that's just a formality. It's ours," Merlin assured him.

"So, let me get this straight. I own four companies and a landing pad?"

"And a reactor," Merlin reminded him. "Not the best time to discuss it, though. Malia's job keeps her pretty busy."

"It does, indeed," she said. "However, I can spare another minute to let you know about a decision I've made. I need someone I can trust. Someone who can't be bought. Someone brilliant. Someone with years of teaching experience. We've got a lot of ignorance to correct. Merlin, I know how much you enjoy your beach house, but I need you here, now more than ever. I need you in Washington. I need you to be my National Science Advisor." Merlin's face paled to match the Prime Minister's.

"I can't! I have my family to think about," he said desperately. Alex rolled his eyes.

"Anyone here who doesn't want to live in Washington with the National Science Advisor?" he asked. Both twins continued to smile. Merlin looked to Arthur for support. There wasn't any help there, either. For some reason, Washington just felt right to his husband. His frantic appeal to Morgana was met with a blush.

"No help here, either," she said to her increasingly despondent friend. "She, um, tapped me to lead the National Command and Control Centre at Cheyenne Mountain last week." Merlin turned back to the President.

"She's the 'Systems Diva.' The world's preeminent computer specialist. Our Transaid-Medexa saviour," the President explained. "Of course I chose her, and of course she accepted. She's always wanted access to Cheyenne Mountain. It's the most secure system in the world. She couldn't resist the offer if she tried."

The President paused in her glowing praise as she remembered something. She glared at Chris. "And speaking of secure systems, we're not idiots, Christopher. Keep your paws off the Supreme Court's neural network or I assure you, for the rest of your life every terminal you touch will turn into little more than a word processor. GOT IT?"

"Got it," the chastened young man replied.

"Good! Now If you'll excuse me, I have a riot in Cincinnati to deal with."

"Of course. I guess I'll see you in Washington in a few hours," Merlin replied with a sigh of resignation. The President smiled as she closed the channel. The Prime Minister nodded her farewell before she did the same.

Merlin spun towards his family, fully prepared to tear a strip out of them as a little "thank you" for their traitorous behaviour. This time he was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Merlin walked over to the door and opened it. A small figure wearing a water-drenched cape shuffled into the living room, not even bothering to ask permission before entering their home.

"Excuse me? Can I help you?" Merlin asked with an edge in his voice. They heard a chuckle from beneath the hood. Wrinkled hands lifted it, revealing a wizened face. Merlin grinned before hugging her carefully. She looked like she might break easily. She was nearly ninety.

"It's so good to see you, Leslie!" Merlin said with a smile. Miss Jensen smiled back.

"It's been too long, Merlin. I wish I could speak with you more, but this isn't a social call and we don't have much time."

"Chris!" she said as she turned to look at one of the twins. That was surprising, too. Almost no one could tell them apart if they hadn't known them a long time.

"How do you know Leslie?" Arthur asked his delighted son.

"She's talked with me telepathically since I've been a child," Chris said as he grabbed her in a bear hug. He lifted the grey haired woman off the ground, momentarily forgetting their respective places in the "Great Chain of Being" in his enthusiasm.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you in person!" he said as tears ran down his face. Merlin gasped. He could almost hear her spine creaking under the pressure of Chris' hug.

"CHRIS! Be careful. She's elderly!" He relaxed and winked at her once Chris put her down unharmed.

The older woman's mouth turned to her trademark slash. She wasn't amused. She hated being called elderly and Merlin had called her that a lot over the years. It was always affectionate, and she never complained about it, but she still found it irritating. Merlin had called her elderly when she was in her sixties. In reality she was a good deal older, which just made his comment more offensive. She finally lost her patience, her countenance clouding with a fury that put the storm to shame. Chris panicked when he saw the look on her face.

"Show some respect, Merlin. FAST!"

"Respect? I've always teased her. Why wouldn't I..." Merlin's comment was cut off by the unbelievable.

A flash of light pulled their attention to the newly replaced nanoglass window overlooking the stormy Pacific as a lightning bolt smashed the two hundred year old cedar in their garden to splinters. The thunder from the blast was powerful enough to make their ears pop and the house shake. They watched in awe as a new tree grew to take the place of the destroyed one in seconds.

When they turned back, they saw a young woman in the prime of her life looking at them with eyes that burned like green fire. Her hair was the colour of ripened wheat. Her long, diaphanous dress flowed with the colours of the forest, soft patterns of green and brown with shifting dapples of light for adornment. A collection of furious cats stomped around her feet, their eyes burning the same colour of green as they glowered at Merlin.

"Why should you show her respect, Dad?" Chris asked softly as he dropped to one knee before her. He turned his head back to them, his face full of wonder.

"Because she's a God."


	38. Chapter 38

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 38**

They all froze in place, shocked beyond movement. Chris' next comment didn't help in the slightest.

"Actually, she prefers Mother rather than God. Mother as in Mother Nature. Or Green Mother. Or... Well, she's been called a lot of things over the eons, but no one has ever called her elderly before! Merlin, what you've been doing isn't teasing. It's blasphemy."

Merlin managed to force out a comment through his constricted throat.

"Oh, crap."

The God ignored him as she smiled at Chris.

"Rise, my child," she said. Chris stood, but he bowed his head. She smiled, placed a finger under his chin and lifted his head to look him directly in the eyes.

"Never fear to look upon me, little one. Your respect is without question regardless of your posture," she said. Chris smiled shyly. Then she turned her attention to Merlin.

"YOU, HOWEVER, ARE A DIFFERENT MATTER ENTIRELY!" she boomed at him. "BEHOLD MY WRATH!"

A flash of light later, and a little mouse stood on the floor where Merlin had been. The cats at her feet turned to him, licking their lips. All but one kept their control. She leapt at him.

"EEP!" squeaked Merlin as the cat flew through the air towards him, claws extended. "EEP!"

He tried to run, but just ended up going around in circles. He only knew how to run with two legs. He now had four, and had no idea how to use them together.

Alex appeared out of nowhere and caught the ravenous cat by the scruff of the neck a few centimetres from his father. She started to yowl. He lifted her and rested her on his shoulder, scratching her behind the ear in an attempt to calm her.

Chris narrowed his eyes as he studied the hissing, spitting creature. He couldn't understand her, though. Suddenly he realized what had been troubling him.

He couldn't understand the cats because the cats weren't animals.

"Alex! Drop her before..."

Alex staggered under the weight of what was now a full grown woman on his shoulder. A very angry woman. Her yelling continued in quite comprehensible English as she continued to claw at Merlin.

"...little worm! Once I get my paws on you I'm going to... Oh," she said as she looked at her hands. She didn't have paws anymore. Alex put her down before she could start yelling at him.

"Daughter, you really must learn to control your temper. You know how important The Advisor is in what's to come," the God said as she lowered her hand, her power having changed the Seventh Sister back to her real form. She was the Seventh Sister because of her youth. She was less than a millennium old.

"Yes, Mother," the Sister replied sheepishly. Their Mother-Daughter relationship referred to rank rather than any familial connection, although the Daughters did refer to each other as Sisters.

"SORRY! SORRY! SORRY! SORRY..." Merlin squeaked as she restored his form. He cleared his throat and continued to repeat the word, this time in a human voice. He probably would have continued indefinitely if she hadn't gestured for him to stop. His apology was sufficient. She smiled and continued in a much quieter voice. One that didn't make their house shake.

"Come now, Merlin. You didn't actually believe a sixty two year old woman could crumple a steel locker door with her fist, did you?" the usually down-to-earth God asked as she gestured towards the couches in their living room. She sat down and motioned for them to join her.

"I just assumed you were strong from all those years of Karate," Merlin replied as he and the others sat down on the couches.

"No. From time to time, I choose to wear a cloak of mortality. The need must be great. In your case, it was."

"Why did you come now?" Merlin asked as he started to clean the whiskers he no longer had. He shook his head, trying to dispel the remnants of the memory of his novel body.

"I detected your use of the new reactor you created," the God replied. "You can't hide the Albion Reactor, Merlin. Not from me."

"Why? I always thought..."

"You always thought wrong. Tell me, how does the reactor work? A brief summary, please," she asked with amusement.

Merlin switched to his professorial tone. "The Albion reactor harnesses the fundamental forces of nature to..."

"Helloooooooo! Fundamental forces of nature sitting in your living room!" she said as she gestured to herself. "However, my power does have limits. All Nature bows before me, but humanity continues to forget its place. You live in an increasingly mechanical world I can have little impact upon. I have protected your world as best I could for eons, but it continues to move further and further beyond my control."

"Your new invention is the embodiment of that, but as you just said, fundamental forces of nature are involved. I may not be able to create the energy generated by your reactor, but I can harness it once it exists. Enough of the residual energy from the test remains to make it work, but more would have helped stabilize the spell. Ironically, the one human who mastered magic sufficiently to help me, can't," she said as she nodded at him.

"I... I've never... Wait... Before all this... I've been someone else," Merlin whispered.

"I have, too," Arthur said. "I've known it since I was a child!"

"You have all been others. Merlin and Arthur's identities should be obvious enough," she said.

"Morgana... I'm sorry, Cassandra, but it required your suffering at the time," she said softly. "At least you're listened to in this life instead of knowing the future and never being believed."

"Alex and Chris? There's a reason why Achilles was so fast," she said as she smiled at Alex. "And a reason why he and Patroclus were... Close. Oddly enough, you were on a different side than your mother during the whole 'Troy' fiasco. Gods should NEVER compete with each other on Earth."

"Athena and Aphrodite threw off the balance of magic in play at the time. Aphrodite has always had her head in the clouds, but Athena? Goddess of Wisdom, my divine ass!" she growled. "The results were catastrophic, but they learned their lesson. They stick to poker now." She sighed as she changed the topic.

"You haven't heard why the spell is so important. This world is under attack. If it's going to survive, we need to shift the timeline. We need to make changes that will give this world a chance against them. The changes all revolve around Arthur, although all of you are necessary for him to succeed," she said as she pointed at the alarmed human.

"The Albion reactor will power almost anything from a watch to a continent, depending on the scale. Science in that world is considerably further advanced as a result of two things."

"First, the development of the reactor a decade earlier than it was in this world. A small discovery he dismissed two decades ago that would have sped up development of the reactor immensely. He missed it in this timeline. He didn't in the one we're sending you to."

"Second, Merlin's ascendancy to National Science Advisor happened two years after. A small 'Thank You' from the American people. For the past eight years, or two terms, he's encouraged the funding of significant research and development in all fields, using Arthur's fortune to fund the projects when the government was too short-sighted to. It made a real difference."

"During that time, Arthur continued his interest in politics. He's helped a lot of Democratic candidates with his generous campaign contributions. Using Merlin's influence and his own fortune, Arthur will run for President on the Democrats' ticket." As she finished her comment she noticed how white Arthur's face had turned.

"Don't worry, Arthur. You have no possibility of winning. The Republican you're running against is unstoppable. The Democratic candidate for President isn't getting elected this time, so the party doesn't have anything to risk by choosing you. They're encouraging it, because it will paint their party as a progressive one four years from now. They'll just wait out this election and fight for the candidacy in four years. You'll use this opportunity to run on a platform based on science and, well, let's just say it, reality."

"By running for President, you'll force science issues to the top of every debate. Your opponent will actually have to crack a textbook for the first time in twenty years, and he's going to learn a lot of things. Things he wasn't taught at Oral Robert's university. He'll use his term as President to quietly continue funding Merlin's science projects. It'll be reasonable, since Merlin is going to remain National Science Advisor for a third term. Your opponent will be much more receptive to his funding requests than he might have been."

"You can't be serious!" Arthur gasped. "The only thing I hate more than heights is public speaking!"

"I know," the God said. "We're not going to do anything about the heights, but..." she trailed off as she turned to Chris. "Just relax and focus like I taught you."

Chris took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes as he looked at his father. They started to glow softly. Arthur shook his head, trying to clear the buzzing sound from his mind. It stopped at the same time Chris' eyes faded to their normal blue. The God studied a very confused Arthur before speaking to him.

"Picture yourself standing on the edge of a cliff. Try to..." She was cut off by Arthur's shriek. "Well, we know your fear of heights hasn't changed. Now picture yourself standing in front of a podium. A stadium full of people are waiting for you to speak."

Arthur's family watched in amazement as their father said, "So?"

"Excellent!" the God said. "The effect will only be temporary, but it will do for our purposes."

"I'd try to do more, but the power from Merlin's test continues to fade and he won't have time to test it again before it's too late. We need to shift the timelines now."

"Stand together and hold hands," the God instructed. "We'll begin. It will take some time and a great deal of power, but we should succeed. Then, it'll all depend on you. Brace yourselves, my children."

The former mouse dared to interrupt her. "Leslie," Merlin said, forgetting his place. "How can you be certain this will work. It's not a science. It's little more than faith."

"Then have faith, Merlin. Have faith and hold hands."

As their hands touched, a circle of runes appeared on the floor, glowing softly. The God sang pure, clear note which quickly turned into a chord as the Sisters joined her. A sphere of energy formed around the nervous humans and they froze in position, now starting their journey between the worlds, their memories and knowledge enhanced by the spell. More than enough knowledge to succeed at their task.

The God closed her eyes and focused the full power of the spell on the now unaware humans. They started to fade.

And then everything went horribly wrong.


	39. Chapter 39

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 39**

The God detected the shift in power now threatening their magic. The notes the Sisters were singing started to waver, shifting out of tune slowly. The glowing runes on the floor started to flicker.

"It's her! It's NIMUEH! She's contaminating Fire! We can't use that element now. It'll warp the spell," the God hissed.

"Mother, without Fire we can't hold it. Not without accessing all the tools at our disposal. ALL of them. The primitives are unconscious now," the First Sister said as she nodded towards the frozen humans.

"Very well. Not a science, indeed!" the God said as if the very words tasted bad. "Drop the act, my Daughters."

A flash of light later, and a whirling vortex of stars appeared in front of them, coloured lights flashing softly, most of them red.

"Report!" the God snapped.

The First Sister touched a few of the lights in a specific order.

"Primary containment spell failing! Establishing secondary containment spell. 20% Air, 70% Water, 10% Earth," she said as a second set of runes started glowing around the first. The first circle of runes stopped flickering and started to glow brighter.

"Constructive interference pattern established! The containment spell's stabilizing, but it's not enough!"

"Understood. Accessing reactor energy," the God replied calmly as she touched a few lights herself. "It's working, but..."

"Mother! We're starting to lose containment again! The secondary spell is helping, but without Fire... Estimate breach in three minutes."

"Access the alternate timeline and..."

"Mother!" the Fourth Sister interrupted rudely. "A primary timeline has been left unprotected! No, wait. It WAS protected. The Seer... Even trapped between the worlds she senses the pivot upon which everything hinges. She's using Chris' power to block Nimueh's interference. Arthur's changing!"

The Mother's brows furrowed as she watched Arthur's personality shift before her eyes. She shook her head in amazement.

"What could be so powerful. So all encompassing. What could change who Arthur was, who he is, and who he will become, to such a degree. What could..."

The Mother smiled as she pointed at a frayed section of time, now reweaving itself. "That's it. The only thing that could accomplish it. My own lack of faith blinded me to the obvious, my children. It's Love. She's using Love to repair the damage to the timeline."

"How? They could not love each other more! What's the change?" one of the Sisters asked.

"In the repaired timeline, Arthur's character has shifted. His ethics. His confidence. His power have been augmented by the change," she said. "Love. So simple, yet unpredictable. It's why I didn't try to use it myself. The Seer has no idea of the potential consequences or she wouldn't dare, either. That's how she's doing it. That's what she's changing," the Mother said a a tear rolled down her cheek.

"In the new timeline, things are as they always should have been had Nimueh not interfered."

"In the new timeline, Arthur's father loves him."

The God sighed a moment later. "Our spell isn't designed to protect them from the flux that love brings with it. We need to amend the spell."

"HOW? How can we change it?" the Sixth Sister asked. "We've practiced it for years! For centuries! We have no hope of..."

"Then have faith. Listen to me. Listen to my words and repeat them as you hear them. They'll be slightly out of sync, but it will still protect them. Their memories will fracture. They'll forget what I've taught them. I'll need faith, too. Once the spell has been cast, and before the breach, we'll send you through, Daughter" she said as she pointed at one of the Sisters. "But remember this: Your mission is to protect them from harm! NOT TO EAT THE ADVISOR! UNDERSTOOD?"

"Understood, Mother!" the Seventh Sister, previously a hungry cat, replied.

"Now, let us begin. Listen as I amend the spell, my Daughters. AND HAVE FAITH!"

The Sisters prepared to join the God in song when more lights in the vortex turned red. This time some disappeared entirely.

"MOTHER! WE CAN'T! It's not just a contamination, anymore. She burns the portals between the worlds! She shifts and warps the timelines in her madness. Our spell protects the only remaining portal," the Fifth Sister said. The Second Sister studied the lights, her greater experience leading her to a disturbing conclusion.

"Our forces are in disarray. They wait at the appointed place and time, but the worlds are shifting beyond their reach," she said. "With the portals burning, they'll have to travel through SpaceTime to reach the new world. It'll be years before they can assist the Five." Her hands touched a few more lights.

"Wait. The worlds settle. The warp and weft weave together," the Sister said calmly. "Perhaps it's not as bad as I thought. Perhaps..." A single light on her starry panel turned blue, the soothing colour belying the nightmare it represented. She screamed as she realized the significance.

"NO! IT CANNOT BE! IT'S THE CRUX WORLD! THE WORLD WE'RE SENDING THEM TO HAS BECOME THE CRUX WORLD!"

"IMPOSSIBLE!" the Mother said, her voice booming with horror as she took command of the vortex herself.

"THE CRUX WORLD. ALL CREATION HINGES UPON IT! IF SHE HAS BURNED THE PORTALS, THE FIVE ARE ALL THAT STAND BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS ETERNAL! IT IS ONLY THEM!" She paused to study the flashing lights spinning in front of her, most now burning the colour of blood.

"The five must change. They MUST change. Their world is a very different one now. They stand no chance as they are. We can augment them. Augment their character. Make it more compatible with their world and their mission, but it will take time. It will be difficult to balance the forces of personality, but we can increase the probability that one will rise. That one will ascend to majesty. That one will rule."

"SHE IS HERE! SHE ATTACKS!" the Fourth Sister cried. "Our power... It still builds! It is not yet enough to stand against her in her fury! She is aided by Chaos! We can't hold against their combined power."

"CHAOS! DAMN HIM! No time to concern ourselves with his treachery, though. We must act NOW!" the furious God hissed. "Chaos will have a great deal to answer for later, but for now, we need more power!" the God yelled. Her face fell as she realized what was required of them.

"Draw upon the Others! Draw upon the Great Ones! Send the call through time and space. The Portals are destroyed. They cannot join us, but they can still send their power."

"They are unprepared! They don't have enough time to shield themselves from the temporal flux! They will burn to memory! All they were, are, and ever will be, shall be reduced to legend!" the First Sister gasped. The Mother's mouth turned to a slash. If the First Sister was panicking, there was little hope for the rest.

"Daughter! Remain calm and THINK! Nothing matters if the crux world falls! Send the call!" the God commanded.

"Opening Psychic link, Clairvoyance mode, Emergency frequency," the chastened First Sister said as her fingers flew over the lights. Several turned green. "They answer! They send their power! They... They are with us!"

"Speak your names that we may know you! Call your names that they might be remembered!" the God cried.

_ATLANTIS IS WITH YOU!_

_OLYMPUS IS WITH YOU!_

_EDEN IS WITH YOU!_

_SHANGRI-LA IS WITH YOU!_

_AVALON IS WITH YOU!_

"No! NOT AVALON! You cannot, mother! The threads that bind them are too strong! You will destroy Camelot! You will reduce it to legend as well!" the Fifth Sister cried.

"We need Avalon! Creation needs them! Camelot is our dearest price," the Mother said bitterly.

"She grows only stronger as we delay," the First Sister said as she watched the lights flickering.

"Then let us delay no longer!" the God stated firmly. "Empower our Sister! Shield and mold the Five!"

A sound somewhere between a whine and a squeal grew in volume as they harnessed the energy flowing from the Great Ones' destruction. The Green Mother spoke, the Sisters repeated her words, and Time struggled against Chaos to obey her command.

"As it was in The Beginning, so it begins again! Sing with me, my Daughters! _Cast_..."


	40. Chapter 40

**Unending Passion**

**by JulieGee**

**CHAPTER 40**

_...The Spell_

_._

_Time and Space we are now bending_

_We Creation are distending_

_We Reality are mending_

_Through our faith still burning bright_

_._

_We are Order reinstating_

_As all Time we are updating_

_Then and Now we are relating_

_Through the spell we cast tonight_

_._

_Threads of Meaning we are tying_

_Grasping Order underlying_

_With Great Ones are we allying_

_Lending power to our rite_

_._

_Though the Threads of Time are fraying_

_We its fabric are crocheting_

_All the Present we are weighing_

_As the Future we rewrite_

_._

_Sister's bravery unbending_

_She their family defending_

_All their lives on her depending_

_Help them in their awful plight_

_._

_We to whom our dreams are sending_

_She whose power is portending_

_From the one who Time is rending_

_Shield the one with Second Sight_

_._

_Time in womb through life are spending_

_Each to Each their power lending_

_All society upending_

_Hatred will their love incite_

_._

_All Creation comprehending_

_With The Darkness e're contending_

_Master's power still ascending_

_Shares all Time with our great Knight_

_._

_Freedom with his hand extending_

_Justice with his words amending_

_Mercy with his Honour tending_

_All the Nation his Birthright_

_._

_Those whose love is ever blending_

_Those whose love is never-ending_

_Those whose love is all-transcending_

_Turn the darkness into Light..._

_Light..._

_Light..._

_Light..._

_._

_

* * *

_

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**A/N: **It's been a while since I've written a poem. Let me know if you liked it! :)


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